Will fingerprints and other biometrics replace passwords?: Internet Scambusters #866 Is security that’s based on your fingerprint or your facial features safer than using a password? Yes and no, say the experts. They likely won’t make it tougher to steal your sign-on and other personal data, but it’ll be harder for crooks to use what […]

Social Security scams have become an epidemic, government says: Internet Scambusters #865 Pretending to be from the IRS is getting tougher for scammers — so they’ve switched their attention to Social Security. In fact, Social Security impersonations have moved into the top slots among impostor scams. We’ll explain what the crooks are up to in […]

Federal agencies issue warnings to firms claiming they can cure Alzheimer’s: Internet Scambusters #864 When someone suffers from an incurable illness like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, it’s understandable that sufferers and their families may clutch at straws to find an effective treatment. But so-called alternative treatments are not only ineffective or, at least, unproven, they can […]

Are “Cash For Your House” ads genuine or a scam?: Internet Scambusters #863 In times of financial difficulty or slow real estate markets, you might be tempted to sell your home urgently in response to one of those “Cash For Your House” ads you see plastered around empty lots, telephone poles and, increasingly, on social […]

Scammers pose as disabled drivers to sell fake jewelry: Internet Scambusters #862 Scammers have come up with a novel and convincing way to fool car drivers into buying fake jewelry from them. We’ll explain how the scam works in this week’s Snippets issue, along with a rundown of other scams involving the Do Not Call […]

Whether you post videos or comments, watch out for these YouTube scams: Internet Scambusters #861 YouTube, the world’s leading video sharing site, is a persistent scam target. In the latest tricks, crooks try to extort money by threatening to complain about video posters and channel operators. They also impersonate posters to try to steal information […]

US agency warns jewelry firms about deceptive diamond ads: Internet Scambusters #860 There’s nothing wrong with simulated or lab-grown diamonds — as long as you know that’s what they are. But some jewelry marketers have landed in hot water by not making the source of their stones clear. In this week’s issue we’ll explain the […]

Internet crime now costing Americans $2.7 billion a year: Internet Scambusters #859 Every day, almost a thousand Americans complain to the FBI that they’ve fallen victim to Internet crime. Scams and other fraudulent activity are costing the public about $2.7 billion every year, according to the FBI’s associated agency, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). […]

Learn about cookie stuffing and other affiliate scams: Internet Scambusters #858 If you’re a blogger who uses ads to monetize your site, or an online merchant with an affiliate program, you may be a victim of cookie stuffing. This tactic aims to steal compensation for online sales that rightfully belong to someone else. Even end-use […]

Wise up to these crooks in our latest tour of travel scams: Internet Scambusters #857 Is it real or is it a travel scam? Sometimes vacationers can’t tell when a local spins them a story that seems to have a ring of truth. We’ve been reporting on travel scams for more than a decade and […]