Scam Alert of the Week
One timely scam warning every week — short, dated, and sourced from official alerts (FTC, FBI, and state agencies). Each one tells you what's happening, how to spot it, and exactly what to do, in plain English.
No sign-up, no email list. Just bookmark this page and check back — or share an alert with someone who needs it.
This week's alert
October 22, 2026
The Fake FTC Call: 'Your Phone Number Will Be Deleted'
The FTC warned today about impostors posing as its own officials: a phone registered in your name, a fake police report, then an arrest threat and a "security deposit." Our guide walks through the full script and the agency's four "never ever" rules that expose it in seconds.
Past alerts
October 22, 2026
PHP2Shell: Why Websites Shut Down — and the Scam Texts Coming Next
Two flaws in the code behind 70% of the world's websites forced governments and major sites to shut down this week while they patched. Our plain-English guide explains the bug — and exposes the fake "your account was in the breach" texts now riding the headline.
October 21, 2026
FTC Report: Seniors Lost $3 Billion to Fraud in 2025
The FTC's annual report to Congress is out: reported losses by adults 60+ hit about $3 billion — five times the 2020 figure — driven by investment scams that start on social media. Our plain-English guide covers the findings and the five protections that defeat nearly all of it.
October 20, 2026
FBI Flags 4 Midterm Election Scams — Including the "You're Not Registered" Text
Two weeks before the November 3 midterms, the FBI warns scammers are running fake voter-registration texts, scam PACs, campaign "investment pools," and stores selling merch that never ships. Our full guide walks through each scheme — and the simple check that defeats it.
October 18, 2026
Fake Medicare Websites Are Buying the Top of Google
The FTC warns scammers are paying to appear above the real Medicare.gov in search results — right as Open Enrollment begins. Scroll past the ads, check for .gov, or type Medicare.gov yourself.
How this works
- One alert per week — tied to a real, current warning from the FTC, FBI, or a state agency.
- Always dated and sourced — you'll see exactly when it was published and where the warning came from.
- Plain English, big text — like everything on this site.