Author Archives: virginiasmp

Financial columnist, Charlotte Cowles, describes the terrifying experience of falling victim to an elaborate phone scam that ultimately led her to putting $50,000 in cash in a shoe box and giving it to a stranger. (Learn More)

Federal officials say thieves are often using fake QR codes to misdirect payments, take customers’ money and steal other important information. Last year, there was about $150 million in reported losses involving fraudulent QR codes. (Learn More)

Got an email or text message about a tax refund? It’s a scam. IRS impersonators are at it again. This time, the scammers are sending messages about your “tax refund” or “tax refund e-statement.” It might look legit, but it’s an email or text fake, trying to trick you into clicking on links so theyContinue reading “The IRS doesn’t send tax refunds by email or text”

Senior Medicare Patrol volunteers are often the first to identify new Medicare scams because they meet one-on-one with Medicare beneficiaries. Here are some of the top scams they’re seeing and what you can do to protect yourself: 1. A new round of COVID fraud (Read More)

FloatMe ads promised cash advances of up to $50 and offered instant deposits of “free money” after you downloaded the app and subscribed to a monthly plan. What didn’t the ads say? That FloatMe would illegally turn people down when they asked for money and charge customers subscription fees without their consent. That’s deceptive, accordingContinue reading “FloatMe broke cash advance promises”

With Valentine’s Day looming, romance is in the air. If you seek love via a dating app, watch for scammers who only love your money. Scammers are using people to funnel stolen money out of the country. This con may look like a classic romance scam, but victims are tricked into illegal activity and can be prosecuted. (ReadContinue reading “This romance scam tricks victims into laundering money”

Ever since Harold Hill sold his musical instruments to the unsuspecting townsfolk of River City, Iowa, in The Music Man, fraudsters have made for fascinating Hollywood fodder. These days, those old-school schemes seem almost quaint, as we live in a world of ever-evolving, often highly sophisticated new kinds of scams, from phishing and catfishing to guardianship abuse and identity theft. These 12Continue reading “12 Gripping Shows and Movies About Scams to Stream Now”

Identity Theft Awareness Week is a great time to learn how to spot, avoid, and report identity theft. Chances are, you know someone who has experienced identity theft. That’s when someone uses your personal or financial information without your permission to commit fraud. It can happen to anyone, in any community. So how do you get helpContinue reading “Identity theft happens in every community, so get help in your language”

Social media is used as a fun distraction for some people, and taking a Facebook quiz may seem like a harmless way to pass the time. But are you giving away more information than you think? How the scam works: A fun quiz pops up on your Facebook feed or another social media platform. AContinue reading “Bored? Think twice before taking that Facebook quiz”

When U.S. Air Force veteran Amanda Pelletier, 49, set out to decorate the new home in Spring Branch, Texas, that she and her husband, Michael, 52, had purchased after their retirement from the military, she needed some side tables and other pieces of furniture. Like many people these days, she searched online and connected withContinue reading “Everything You Need to Know About Facebook Marketplace Scams”