Curated scam bulletins — what's happening right now, what to look for, and what to do about it.
Recent
✉️ Mail Veterans across the country are getting postcards claiming they or their spouse qualify for extra monthly benefits through a "Veterans Savings Program" that does not exist. The mailers name real benefits like CHAMPVA or TRICARE For Life to seem legitimate, then pressure you to call and share your Social Security number or bank account information.
✉️ Mail Scammers are mailing cheap, unrequested packages — baby wipes, toothpaste, seeds — to people's doorsteps. The delivery "validates" your address so they can post fake reviews under your name. Some packages include a QR code note that leads to a phishing site. Getting one can also be a sign your personal information was compromised.
🌐 Web Dishonest companies buy paid search ads so their site appears at the top when you search to pay a bill — then collect your payment instead of the company you meant to pay. In its complaint against Doxo, the FTC said the company posed as the official payment channel for companies and agencies like Labcorp, AT&T, and state toll authorities, adding fees you never expected.
✉️ Mail The FTC warns that dishonest tax relief companies promise to eliminate back taxes for a fraction of what you owe — before even reviewing your situation. They charge upfront fees, impersonate the government with threatening letters, and leave you further in debt. The FTC recently secured a $10 million settlement against American Tax Service for running these scams.
💬 Social The FTC warns that social media platforms do not always thoroughly vet the ads in your feed. In 2025, people reported more than $95 million in losses from scams that started with social media ads — fake brand impersonators, knockoff sellers, and fake investment programs all run ads alongside legitimate ones.
💬 Social Social media is flooded with people flashing fancy cars and exotic trips, claiming you can have the same lifestyle by "learning to trade." The FTC sued International Markets Live for using fake educators and false earning claims to recruit young people into an investment training scheme — its leaders must now turn over assets worth over $90 million.
📞 Call Minnesota banned cryptocurrency ATMs effective August 1 after logging 134 scam complaints and nearly $1 million in losses between 2023 and 2025. Scammers keep victims on the phone while sending them to nearby crypto kiosks to convert cash into irreversible crypto payments. Nationwide, the FBI recorded over 13,400 crypto kiosk complaints in 2025 with losses topping $388 million.