Category Protection

Scams are on the rise, and they’re getting harder to spot—especially for older adults. Many scammers use phone calls, emails, or text messages to trick people into sending money through gift cards, cryptocurrency, or other hard-to-trace methods. They may pretend to be from the government or a well-known company, using threats or offers that seem too good to be true. In just one year, over 16,700 cases of senior financial exploitation were reported in Ohio alone. With today’s uncertain economy, many people are more likely to fall for these schemes. That’s why it’s more important than ever to stay alert, ask questions, and never give out personal information or money in response to unexpected messages.

In today’s uncertain economy, scammers are taking advantage of people’s financial worries by creating fake job opportunities and investment schemes. One common trick is called a “task scam,” where scammers pretend to offer well-paying remote jobs that ask users to complete simple tasks—for example, writing reviews or clicking links. These tasks seem to pay out money, but soon the victim is pressured to pay fees or invest money to keep earning. Scammers also use the growing interest in cryptocurrency to promise big returns on fake Bitcoin or crypto “investments.” Many of these scams look real, using fake websites or job posts that copy trusted companies. Because they feel like games that reward progress, victims often stay involved for a long time, hoping for their big payout—but it never comes.

The WhatsApp Screen Mirroring Scam is a new type of fraud where scammers trick people into sharing their phone screens during a video call on WhatsApp. Posing as bank employees or customer service agents, the scammers claim they need to help the victim fix a technical issue or verify their account. Once the screen is shared, the scammers can see everything the victim does on their phone, including banking apps, passwords, and one-time passcodes. This allows them to quickly steal money or personal information. As more people rely on mobile banking, especially after the pandemic, this scam highlights the dangers of trusting unknown callers and sharing private information online.

A new digital scam called “WhatsApp Screen Mirroring Fraud” is becoming a major threat to people’s financial safety. In this scam, criminals pretend to be from a trusted source—like a bank or tech support—and trick people into joining video calls. During the call, they ask users to share their smartphone screens. Once scammers can see the screen, they watch for sensitive details like bank account information, one-time passwords (OTPs), and other personal data. Using this information, they make fake charges or even steal someone’s identity. This type of fraud is growing quickly as more people rely on digital tools and feel uncertain due to today’s economic challenges and global instability.

In 2025, financial fraud in the U.S. has sharply increased, with banks reporting about 65% more losses compared to previous years. This rise is closely linked to economic uncertainty and the growing use of digital banking and FinTech services, which became more popular during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. As more people rely on these online financial tools, scammers have taken advantage through identity theft, phishing scams, and fake transactions. Victims not only lose money, but many also suffer from anxiety and stress, unsure if they'll ever get their money back. Some of the fraud also ties back to abuse of pandemic relief programs, where fake businesses or shady schemes tricked the government and everyday people out of funds meant to help.

On August 14, 2025, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a major lawsuit against Early Warning Services, the parent company of Zelle. The lawsuit claims that Zelle, a popular payment app used by millions of people, has serious flaws in its security system that allow scammers to steal money from users. According to the suit, Zelle did not do enough to protect people from fraud, and when people lost money, they often had no way to get it back. This legal action comes just after a similar federal case was dropped by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, following leadership changes in Washington. The lawsuit highlights growing concerns about how safe digital payment platforms really are and whether companies are doing enough to protect their users.