Digital piggy bank: Venmo has accounts for teens ages 13 to 17. The best part? Parental controls. You can keep an eye on where their money’s going and how they’re spending it.
55% of Americans have been scammed - Keep yourself safe online and offline
It’s my job to help people with their digital problems, and it’s sad how often that means assisting folks to sort out a scam. Or even being the one to break the news to them.
Sorry, that new girlfriend isn’t into you. She just wants your money. It happens more often than you’d think — to men and women alike.
I deal with this all the time, but this number still blew me away: 55% of Americans report being scammed. One in three were victims of identity theft. Major yikes. The more you know about this stuff, the safer you and your digital identity are.
Scammed: By the numbers
Scams aren’t just an emotional rollercoaster. They pack a financial punch, too. One out of three scam victims say they’ve lost money in the last three years. The average scam costs around $1,500.
Here’s what else the survey uncovered:
- 29% of Americans were scammed within the last year.
- Over half have had information stolen in a data breach.
Online shopping scams, credit card scams and identity theft are the most common ways to lose money. Two out of five victims said they didn’t submit reports for what happened because it wasn’t that much money.
Some were too embarrassed to tell anyone what happened. Others simply weren’t sure how to report this kind of theft. (I’ll help with that below.)
As bad as it gets
Online crooks are getting more sophisticated as we speak. But offline scams are still alive and well and just as devastating.
A Nashville woman received a call from someone pretending to be from the El Paso, Texas, Border Patrol office. They told her a package bound for her address contained narcotics and documents.
FBI warning: Crooks are using this new tech support scam
One of the most important parts of my job is making sure you know what criminals and cybercreeps are up to. Enough people fall for this junk — I don’t want you to be a victim, too.
The FBI is warning about tech support scams that robbed folks of a whopping $542 million in just the first half of 2023. It all starts with a notification that looks like it’s from your bank or even the government warning of a computer hack. You guessed it. They’re fake.
How to watch football for free
How much would it cost to watch every NFL game this season? Spoiler: it’s more than you think, but there are some ways to catch the action without breaking the bank.
🔥 Anker power bank recall: You risk a fire if you’re using an Anker 334 MagGo Battery (PowerCore 10K), Anker Power Bank and Anker MagGo Power Bank with a model number of A1642, A1647 or A1652. These were all sold between Jan. 3, 2024, and Sept. 17, 2024. If you own one, stop using it immediately and fill out the recall form.
57% of Gen Z
Want to be an influencer. Sounds like a dream, but the reality isn’t so pretty. Most influencers barely make enough to scrape by, and even the ones making bank work like crazy.
My home was broken into. What am I supposed to do now?'
Each year in the U.S., there are an estimated 2.5 million burglaries. If this has happened to you, you know the fear and anxiety you feel after a break-in.
What should you do in the moments after discovering your home has been broken into or hearing someone come in? Knowing the steps to take in a moment of fear is hard, so it’s important to have a solid plan. If it never does, great news. If it does, you’re a little more prepared.
Traffic cameras can now ticket you for having a loud car
You know you’re under surveillance at the airport, in a bank or federal building, but watchful eyes extend far beyond that. Depending on where you live, the government could be keeping tabs on you from the moment you leave home. Tap or click here for the top 10 most surveilled cities in the U.S.
Wyoming’s No. 1: It’s the first state with its own U.S. dollar-backed stablecoin. The goal? Faster, cheaper transactions and more revenue for the state. Next year, public audits will show how many tokens are in circulation and the exact amount in the bank. Translation: There’s a real dollar in the bank for every crypto coin.
Storing cash in Venmo or Cash App? Your wallet's in danger
Unlike the money in your bank, you can lose your funds sitting in these apps. Plus, a hacker found thousands of big biz secrets, a new Amazon scam is spreading, and ChatGPT teases a search engine.
😲 Stick to legitimate banks: Thousands of folks who put money into the Juno savings app are screwed. The company that provided Juno’s digital transaction ledgers collapsed, and no one can access their funds. One guy lost $38,000. Keep your savings in an FDIC-backed bank and those account balances under $250,000.
When the bank asks for a voice sample, say no
Banks are pushing for voice biometrics as a way to protect your accounts, but there’s a catch.
Don't hand your voice to your bank
Voice cloning scams are on the rise, and fraudsters are targeting your bank. Here’s why you should protect your voice.
Say no: If your bank asks you to set up your voice profile attached to your account, decline. You can bet hackers are trolling the internet to get clips of folks talking to make their own deepfake copies. A fingerprint or a solid password are safer login methods.
🎨 Give the kids (and yourself) some culture: Bank of America customers get free admission to museums nationwide for the first weekend of every month. Perfect for summer vacation!
Make bank: Vintage rugs in good condition are big sellers online. Pro tips: List the dimensions, call out imperfections like fraying and staining, and state upfront whether the rug comes from a smoke- or pet-free home. These are key phrases!
Reddit to the rescue: You heard you can make bank by playing games or watching vids on an app. Before you download anything, search “[name of the app] Reddit” and look for recent posts. You’ll get feedback from real people, not sites that want to sell you stuff.
This widower lost $661,000 from a bank scam
Tech support from your bank is supposed to help, right? Why you should be wary if they call, in one minute.
5 tricks to speed up your slow computer
Computer running at a snail’s pace? I give you tips and tricks to speed it up without breaking the bank, in 60 seconds.
This phone scam fooled someone out of thousands of dollars
There are many ways for scammers to get their hands on your information and money. Text messages with malicious links are common, and some criminals use QR codes to harvest your data.
Others take a bit of a more hands-on approach, opting to call victims. These scammers can be persuasive, and it can be challenging to determine whether they are legitimate.