Hey listeners, Scotty here, your go-to scam buster with a techie twist and a side of snark. It's early 2026, and the fraudsters are already cranking up the AI engines, but I've got the latest dirt from the wires to keep you one step ahead. Picture this: you're scrolling social media, and bam—a too-good-to-be-true hoodie ad pops up for 20 bucks instead of 120. That's straight out of the Better Business Bureau's playbook, as Paula Fleming warned on WPRI's 12 Responds just last week. One victim shelled out 160 bucks for a fake buy-one-get-two-free retail site that vanished like a ghost in the matrix. These counterfeit kings are using AI to make bogus purses look legit—sneaky, right?
But hold onto your keyboards, because impersonation scams are exploding. WSLS reports from Philadelphia that fraudsters, hyped by Drexel University's CIO Pablo Molina, are cloning voices and whipping up deepfake videos that could fool your grandma—or you. They prey on urgency: "Pay now or jail!" Investments and job scams top the 2026 hit list too. AARP Nebraska's alerts nail it—scammers dangle work-from-home gigs on WhatsApp or Telegram, demanding your Social Security number or upfront cash for "training kits." One poor soul lost 120 grand in an employment task hustle tied to a fake mentor.
Then there's the U.S. Marshals Service in Seattle's Western District of Washington dropping a bombshell on January 5 via the DOJ: phony court order emails with real-looking case numbers, judge signatures, and even a "Did you know" footer pushing Bitcoin payments to dodge arrest for missed jury duty. Spoofed caller IDs from courthouses? Classic. They want wire transfers, Green Dot cards, or crypto—never gonna happen with real Marshals, folks. Call Seattle at 206-370-8600 to verify.
AI's the big bad wolf this year, per experts everywhere from Archwell Health to Feedzai predictions. Romance texts from "loved ones in jail," utility shutoff panics in cold snaps, or family emergencies—pause, SLAM those emails: check Sender, Links, Attachments, Message. Hover, don't click. Silence unknown callers on your iPhone or Android. Report to FTC, IC3, or AARP's helpline at 877-908-3360. Monitor credit at annualcreditreport.com, enable MFA, grab a password manager.
Listeners, stay vigilant—verify everything, greed be damned. Thanks for tuning in, smash that subscribe button for more scam-smashing tips. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Stay safe out there!
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