Top scams spreading right now
Every crime has a setup. In five recent cases, scammers turned online breadcrumbs into jackpots. I want you to know how to make sure you’re not their next payday.
❤️🩹 Your relationships
Scammers stalk grief like predators. A Pennsylvania widow was conned out of her entire life savings, over $200,000 plus her home, by a romance scammer she met on Facebook. A 63-year-old widower sold his condo and wired $80,000 to a “friend” who convinced him to invest in a sure thing.
Pro tip: Don’t list “widowed” on dating or social apps. To criminals, it’s a dollar sign.
⛱️ Your vacations
One woman proudly shared a pic of her cruise tickets on Facebook. Scammers used her booking code to hijack the account and cancel the trip to get the refund. She lost $15,000, a vacation and her family’s respect in one click.
Pro tip: Post vacation pics after the trip. Announcing you’re away makes you a target for hackers and burglars.
🗣️ Your videos
AI deepfakes are a booming business. One TikTok user found her face and voice cloned to sell knockoff diet pills. Thieves raked in tens of thousands using her identity.
Pro tip: Set your videos to private or limit followers. The better the footage, the easier you are to clone.
🫰🏼 Your sales
In South Carolina, a man listed a limited-edition PlayStation online. When he met the “buyer,” instead of cash he got a gun in his face. The robber made off with the console plus his phone, watch and wallet for a $3,000+ haul.
Pro tip: Meet in a police station parking lot. If a buyer balks, they aren’t legit.
🚶🏼♀️➡️ Your miles
GPS walking, hiking and biking routes can be a jackpot for burglars. Secret Service agents accidentally exposed patrol patterns for the president and others on Strava. Home break-ins have been tied to thieves tracking when residents aren’t home.
Pro tip: Lock down your fitness app privacy settings. Hide the start and end points near your house.
🧈 Speaking of… The man who invented spreadable margarine got scammed out of every penny he made out of it. I can’t believe he’s not bitter. (lol)
⚠️ Crooks are cashing in on your digital trail. Keep yourself out of their true-crime story. Now use the share icons below so your family and friends know this, too!
Tags: Facebook, family, hackers, privacy, settings
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