Field Notes
Fraud analysis, enforcement actions, and emerging schemes — investigated and published daily.
Fake Job Offer Scams: How to Spot and Avoid Them
Fake job offer scams cost Americans $501 million in 2024. Learn how employment fraud works, the red flags to watch, and how to protect yourself today.
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Investment Fraud on Social Media: How to Stay Safe
Investment fraud on social media cost Americans $1.1 billion in 2025 alone. Learn how these scams work, the warning signs, and how to protect yourself.
Grandparent Scam: How to Protect Elderly Family
Grandparent scams cost victims over $5M in 2025 alone. Learn how AI voice cloning supercharges this fraud and how to protect elderly loved ones now.
Phishing Email Red Flags You Must Know in 2025
Phishing was the #1 cybercrime by volume in 2024. Learn the critical phishing email red flags that help you spot and avoid these costly scams.
IRS Phone Scams: How to Spot & Stop Them
IRS impersonation phone scams cost Americans hundreds of millions yearly. Learn how these calls work, the red flags to spot, and exactly what to do if targeted.
Romance Scam Red Flags: 10 Warning Signs to Know
Romance scams cost Americans $672 million in 2024. Learn the critical red flags and warning signs that reveal a romance scammer before it's too late.
Gift Card Scam Tactics: How Fraudsters Strike
Gift card scams cost Americans $212 million in 2024. Learn the tactics fraudsters use, the warning signs to spot, and how to protect yourself now.
Online Shopping Fraud: Red Flags to Know in 2025
Online shopping fraud cost consumers nearly $800 million in 2024. Learn the key red flags of fake stores, nondelivery scams, and how to protect yourself.
Lottery & Prize Scams: Tactics, Red Flags & Defense
Lottery and prize scams cost Americans $351 million in 2024 alone. Learn the exact tactics scammers use and how to protect yourself today.
Medicare Fraud Schemes: How to Spot & Stop Them
Medicare fraud costs taxpayers billions annually. Learn how these schemes work, the warning signs to watch for, and how to protect your benefits from fraudsters.
Microsoft & Apple Tech Support Scams: Full Guide
Tech support scams impersonating Microsoft and Apple cost victims $2.1 billion in 2025. Learn the tactics, red flags, and how to protect yourself.
Fake Job Offer Scams: How to Spot and Stop Them
Fake job offer scams cost Americans $501M in 2024. Learn how fraudulent recruiters operate, the red flags to watch, and how to protect yourself now.
Phishing Email Red Flags: How to Spot a Scam
Phishing is the #1 reported cybercrime. Learn the critical phishing email red flags that protect your money, identity, and accounts from fraudsters.
Romance Scam Red Flags: Warning Signs to Know
Romance scams cost Americans over $1.14 billion in a single year. Learn the red flags, warning signs, and how to protect yourself from romance scammers.
Pig Butchering Crypto Scams: How They Work
Pig butchering crypto investment scams stole $5.8B in 2024. Learn the tactics, red flags, and how to protect yourself from this devastating fraud.
Rental Listing Scams: Warning Signs to Know
Rental listing scams cost victims millions yearly. Learn the FTC- and FBI-confirmed red flags that expose fake rental ads before you lose your deposit.
Charity Fraud After Disasters: Don't Let Scammers Steal Your Compassion
Disaster charity scams stole $96 million from donors in 2024. Learn how fake relief organizations operate and how to protect yourself before you give.
Bank Impersonation Vishing Scams: How to Stay Safe
Bank impersonation vishing scams cost consumers billions annually. Learn how these fake bank calls work, the red flags to spot, and how to protect yourself.
Identity Theft Warning Signs: Spot It Early
Identity theft affects millions of Americans yearly. Learn the critical identity theft warning signs and how to protect yourself before serious damage is done.
Crypto Exchange Scams: How to Spot & Avoid Them
Cryptocurrency exchange scams cost Americans $9.3 billion in 2024 alone. Learn how fake crypto platforms work and how to protect yourself.
AI Deepfake Voice Cloning Scams: Full Guide
AI deepfake voice cloning scams are surging. Learn how fraudsters clone voices in seconds, who they target, and how to protect yourself from this rapidly growing threat.
Real Estate Wire Fraud: How to Spot & Stop It
Real estate wire fraud cost Americans over $275 million in 2025. Learn how BEC scams hijack closings and how to protect your down payment.
SIM Swap Attacks: How to Protect Yourself
SIM swap fraud cost U.S. victims nearly $26 million in 2024. Learn how the attack works, the warning signs, and how to stop SIM hijacking before it happens.
Online Shopping Fraud Red Flags to Know
Online shopping fraud cost consumers millions in 2024. Learn the key red flags of fake websites, social media scams, and how to protect yourself.
Lottery & Prize Scams: Tactics, Signs & How to Stay Safe
Lottery and prize scams stole $351 million from Americans in 2024. Learn how these schemes work, the red flags to spot, and how to protect yourself.
Tech Support Scams: Microsoft & Apple Imposters
Tech support scams impersonating Microsoft and Apple cost victims $1.46 billion in 2024. Learn how these scams work and how to stop them.
Fake Job Offer Scams: How to Spot & Avoid Them
Fake job offer scams cost Americans $501 million in 2024. Learn how employment fraud works, the red flags to watch for, and how to protect yourself.
Romance Scam Red Flags: Don't Fall for It
Romance scams cost Americans over $823 million in 2024. Learn the key red flags, warning signs, and FBI-backed tips to protect yourself online.
Gift Card Scams: Tactics, Red Flags & How to Fight Back
Gift card scams cost Americans $212 million in 2024. Learn how impersonation, card draining, and AI tactics work — and how to protect yourself.
Online Shopping Fraud Red Flags to Know Now
Online shopping fraud cost consumers over $785 million in 2024. Learn the key red flags of fake stores, nondelivery scams, and how to shop safely online.
Medicare Fraud Schemes: How They Work in 2025
Medicare fraud costs taxpayers billions annually. Learn how genetic testing, DME, and telehealth scams work—and how to protect yourself and your benefits.
Tech Support Scams: Microsoft & Apple Tactics
Tech support scams impersonating Microsoft and Apple cost Americans $1.46B in 2024. Learn how these scams work and how to protect yourself.
IRS Phone Scams: How to Spot and Stop Them
IRS impersonation phone scams cost Americans hundreds of millions annually. Learn the red flags, the tactics scammers use, and how to protect yourself.
Romance Scam Red Flags: Don't Fall for the Con
Romance scams cost Americans $672M+ in 2024. Learn the critical red flags, warning signs, and how to protect yourself from online romance fraud.
Charity Fraud After Disasters: How to Stay Safe
Disaster charity scams stole $96M in 2024. Learn how fraudsters exploit tragedy, the warning signs to spot, and how to protect your donations.
Identity Theft Warning Signs You Can't Ignore
Learn the critical identity theft warning signs flagged by the FTC and FBI — and what to do immediately if your personal information has been stolen.
Cryptocurrency Exchange Scams: How to Spot Them
Cryptocurrency exchange scams cost Americans $11 billion in 2025. Learn how fake platforms, pig butchering, and ATM fraud work — and how to stay safe.
AI Deepfake Voice Cloning Scams: The $893M Threat
AI deepfake voice cloning scams cost Americans $893M in 2025. Learn how they work, the red flags to spot, and how to protect yourself now.
Real Estate Wire Fraud: How to Spot It
Real estate wire fraud cost victims over $275 million in 2024. Learn how BEC scams hijack closings and how to protect your down payment.
SIM Swap Attack Prevention: Stop Hijackers Cold
SIM swap attacks cost U.S. victims $26M in 2024. Learn how criminals hijack your phone number, the warning signs, and proven steps to prevent SIM swapping.
Fake Job Offer Scams: How Fraudsters Target Job Seekers
Fake job offer scams cost Americans $501M in 2024. Learn how employment fraud works, the red flags to spot, and how to protect yourself today.
Lottery & Prize Scams: Tactics Used in 2025
Lottery and prize scams cost consumers millions every year. Learn the exact tactics scammers use, the red flags to watch for, and how to protect yourself.
Medicare Fraud Schemes: How They Work & How to Fight Back
Medicare fraud costs billions every year. Learn how phantom billing, identity theft, and impersonation scams target beneficiaries — and how to protect yourself.
Investment Fraud on Social Media: How Scams Work
Investment fraud on social media stole $1.1 billion in 2025. Learn how pig butchering, ramp-and-dump, and fake crypto platforms target victims.
Grandparent Scam: Protect Elderly Family Now
Grandparent scams cost victims millions annually. Learn how AI voice-cloning works, the red flags to spot, and how to protect elderly family members today.
Phishing Email Red Flags: How to Spot Them
Learn the top phishing email red flags identified by the FTC and FBI IC3. Protect yourself from credential theft, identity theft, and financial loss.
Disaster Charity Scams: How Fraudsters Exploit Tragedy
Disaster charity fraud cost Americans $96 million in 2024. Learn how scammers exploit tragedies, the warning signs, and how to protect your donations.
24 Billion Stolen Records, Explained: What the Leak Actually Means for You
A database of 24 billion stolen records turned up exposed online. The number is staggering and also misleading. What really leaked, and what to do about it.
Bank Impersonation Vishing Scams: What to Know
Bank impersonation vishing calls are surging. Learn how these phone scams work, the red flags to spot, and how to protect your accounts from fraud.
Identity Theft Warning Signs: Know Before It's Too Late
Identity theft hit 1.1 million reports in 2024. Learn the critical identity theft warning signs and how to protect yourself before criminals strike.
Cryptocurrency Exchange Scams: How to Stay Safe
Cryptocurrency exchange scams cost Americans $11+ billion in 2025. Learn how these schemes work, the red flags to spot, and how to protect your assets.
AI Deepfake Voice Cloning Scams: What to Know
AI deepfake voice cloning scams cost Americans $893M in 2025. Learn how these scams work, who's targeted, and how to protect yourself now.
Gift Card Scam Tactics: How Fraudsters Operate
Learn how gift card scam tactics work, who's being targeted, and how to protect yourself from this fast-growing fraud threat draining millions annually.
Lottery & Prize Scam Tactics: How to Stay Safe
Discover how lottery and prize scams work, the warning signs to watch for, and proven strategies to protect yourself from these deceptive fraud tactics.
Medicare Fraud Schemes: How to Spot and Stop Them
Medicare fraud costs billions annually. Learn how common medicare fraud schemes work, warning signs to watch for, and how to protect your benefits.
Grandparent Scam: Protect Your Elderly Family
Learn how the grandparent scam targets seniors, the warning signs to recognize, and proven steps to protect your elderly loved ones from this devastating fraud.
Phishing Email Red Flags You Must Know
Learn to spot phishing email red flags before criminals steal your data. Expert fraud investigators reveal the warning signs every user must recognize.
IRS Impersonation Phone Scams: Stay Protected
IRS impersonation phone scams steal millions annually. Learn how these tax fraud calls work, warning signs to spot them, and how to protect yourself.
Romance Scam Red Flags Every Person Must Know
Learn the critical romance scam red flags and warning signs that can protect you from emotional manipulation and devastating financial loss online.
Online Shopping Fraud Red Flags You Must Know
Learn to spot online shopping fraud red flags before you lose money. Expert tips on identifying fake stores, scam deals, and deceptive tactics in 2024.
Medicare Fraud Schemes: What You Must Know
Medicare fraud costs billions annually. Learn how common medicare fraud schemes work, the warning signs, and how to protect your benefits from criminals.
Microsoft & Apple Tech Support Scam Tactics Exposed
Learn how tech support scammers impersonate Microsoft and Apple to steal money and data. Spot the warning signs and protect yourself today.
Phishing Email Red Flags You Must Never Ignore
Learn to spot phishing email red flags before they cost you. Expert fraud investigators reveal the warning signs that protect your identity and finances.
Rental Listing Scam Warning Signs to Know
Rental listing scams cost victims thousands. Learn the key warning signs of fraudulent rental listings and how to protect yourself before signing.
Charity Fraud Around Disasters: Stay Safe
Disaster charity fraud surges after every crisis. Learn how scammers exploit generosity, the warning signs, and how to donate safely after a disaster.
Bank Impersonation Vishing Scams: Stay Safe
Bank impersonation vishing scam calls are surging. Learn how fraudsters impersonate your bank by phone and how to protect your accounts today.
Identity Theft Warning Signs You Must Know
Recognize identity theft warning signs before serious damage occurs. Learn how fraudsters steal your identity and how to protect yourself effectively.
AI Deepfake Voice Cloning Scams: Stay Safe
AI deepfake voice cloning scams are surging. Learn how fraudsters clone voices to steal money and how to protect yourself from this high-tech threat.
Real Estate Wire Fraud: How to Protect Yourself
Real estate wire fraud costs homebuyers billions annually. Learn how these schemes work, the red flags to spot, and how to protect your closing funds.
SIM Swap Attack Prevention: Stop Hackers Cold
SIM swap attacks are draining bank accounts and hijacking identities. Learn how SIM swap attack prevention works and how to protect yourself today.
Phishing Email Red Flags You Must Know in 2024
Learn the critical phishing email red flags that fraud experts use to spot scams before they cause damage. Protect yourself with these expert-backed warning signs.
IRS Impersonation Phone Scams: Stay Safe
IRS impersonation phone scams steal millions annually. Learn how these tax fraud calls work, warning signs, and how to protect yourself from scammers.
Lottery & Prize Scam Tactics: How Fraudsters Win
Lottery and prize scams cost victims billions annually. Learn the tactics fraudsters use, the red flags to recognize, and how to protect yourself today.
Fake Job Offer Scams: How to Spot Them
Fake job offer scams are surging, targeting desperate job seekers with false promises. Learn how to identify, avoid, and report these devastating employment frauds.
Investment Fraud on Social Media: Stay Safe
Investment fraud on social media is surging. Learn how scammers operate, the red flags to spot, and how to protect your money from fake investment schemes.
Phishing Email Red Flags Every User Must Know
Learn the critical phishing email red flags that cybercriminals use to steal your data. Protect yourself with expert fraud awareness tips today.
Romance Scam Red Flags You Must Know
Learn the critical romance scam red flags and warning signs that could save you from devastating financial and emotional loss. Stay protected today.
Pig Butchering Crypto Scams: Tactics Exposed
Learn how pig butchering crypto investment scams work, the tactics fraudsters use, and how to protect yourself from devastating financial losses.
Real Estate Wire Fraud: How to Spot and Stop It
Real estate wire fraud costs buyers millions annually. Learn how these schemes work, the warning signs, and how to protect your closing funds.
SIM Swap Attack Prevention: Stop Account Takeovers
Learn how SIM swap attacks drain bank accounts and steal identities — and discover proven SIM swap attack prevention strategies to protect yourself today.
The Job Market Is Broken. Employment Scammers Know It.
U.S. employers laid off more than 1.17 million workers in 2025. Employment scams are surging in direct response — targeting job hunters on LinkedIn, Indeed, and WhatsApp with offers engineered to exploit financial pressure.
Treasury Targets Medicare Fraud — and Will Now Pay Whistleblowers Up to 30%
FinCEN issued two actions today: an advisory to financial institutions on Medicare/Medicaid fraud schemes, and a proposed rule creating a whistleblower award program paying 10–30% of penalties collected under the Bank Secrecy Act.
Meta, Google, OpenAI Just Signed a Global Anti-Scam Accord. Here's What It Does — and Doesn't — Do.
Eleven of the largest technology companies in the world signed a voluntary anti-scam accord at the UN Global Fraud Summit in Vienna today. Meta, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Amazon, LinkedIn, Adobe, Pinterest, Target, Levi's, and Match Group.
Phishing Complaints Jumped 85% Last Year. The Vector Is AI.
The National Consumers League's Top Ten Scams of 2025 report: phishing and spoofing complaints nearly doubled year-over-year, with median losses jumping from $1,000 to $2,060. The mechanism is AI.
INTERPOL: Fraud Is Now "Industrialized" and AI Is the Factory
The 2026 INTERPOL Global Financial Fraud Threat Assessment doesn't mince words: fraud has crossed a threshold. It is no longer a peripheral crime. It is industrial infrastructure.
The Employment Scam Revival: Why 2026 Is Different
U.S. employers shed more than 1.17 million jobs in 2025. Desperate job seekers are exactly the profile scammers engineer their pitches for. Employment fraud is making a comeback — and this cycle it's running on better infrastructure than the last one.
INTERPOL: Fraud Is No Longer a Peripheral Threat
The 2026 INTERPOL Global Financial Fraud Threat Assessment confirms what the numbers have been showing for three years: fraud is now central to global organized crime. AI-enhanced schemes are running four and a half times more profitable than traditional methods.
IRS Dirty Dozen 2026: What's Actually New
The IRS released its annual Dirty Dozen scam list on Slam the Scam Day. The schemes are familiar. What's new is the explicit warning on AI-generated tax advice: don't use it, and don't trust it.
Trump Signs Executive Order Targeting Foreign Scam Centers
Executive Order 14390 directs DOJ, DHS, Treasury, and State to identify the transnational criminal organizations running scam centers and submit a dismantlement plan within 120 days. The order is real. The timeline is aggressive.
I Fell for a Google Ad Scam. Here is What Happened to My Apple ID.
I am in the process of building a fraud detection platform. I research scams every day. I know what phishing looks like, what red flags to watch for, how these people operate. And I still got got. It Started With a Google Search I was looking for a specific item from a luxury brand —…
Influencers Are Promoting an Illegal Credit Repair Scam and It Looks a Lot Like the Old CPN Scam
Social media is flooded with so-called credit repair hacks, but a growing number of influencers are now pushing advice that is not just misleading — it is illegal. In a January 2026 consumer alert, the Federal Trade Commission warned that some influencers are encouraging people to file false identity theft reports in order to remove…
Income Tax Refund Fraud
In 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) prevented $30.1 billion in fraudulent refunds from reaching criminals' pockets—but an estimated $2.3 billion still slipped through their defenses. These sta…
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