Practical guides on online shopping safety, scam alerts, and how to protect yourself from fraud — written by the Scam Detective team.
A host who asks you to 'skip the platform fees' and pay directly by wire, Zelle, or Venmo for a vacation rental is using one of the oldest tricks in travel fraud — and once you pay off-platform, there's no protection left.
Read article →'Get paid $20–$50 a task to rate products' texts are a fast-growing job scam — one that eventually asks you to deposit your own money to 'unlock' higher-paying tasks you'll never actually get paid for.
Read article →A flight deal site quoting half the price of every major airline and search engine isn't a loophole — it's one of the most common travel scams, and it usually takes your payment for a ticket that never exists.
Read article →After losing money to a crypto scam, victims are frequently targeted a second time by 'asset recovery' companies that promise to get the funds back for an upfront fee — and then disappear with that too.
Read article →'Your package is on hold, pay a small fee to release it' texts are one of the most-reported scams in the US — designed to steal card details through a fake delivery fee.
Read article →Every October, a wave of 'Halloween costume flash sale' ads floods social media with deep discounts and countdown timers — and a large share of them are fake stores built to take one payment and vanish.
Read article →'Dreame Outlet' ads promising 80% off robot vacuums and cordless cleaners are circulating widely — but many of the sites behind them have nothing to do with the real Dreame brand.
Read article →PayPal is a legitimate online payment platform — not a scam — but phishing scams, account takeovers, and buyer protection limitations are real risks every user should understand.
Read article →Airbnb is a legitimate short-term rental platform — not a scam — but fake listings, off-platform payment scams, and phishing sites impersonating its name are real risks every traveler should understand.
Read article →Facebook Marketplace is a legitimate platform — but peer-to-peer buying carries unique risks. Here's how to shop safely and avoid the most common marketplace scams.
Read article →Uber Eats is a legitimate food delivery platform — not a scam — but data privacy concerns, refund disputes, and phishing scams impersonating its name are real risks every customer should understand.
Read article →Afterpay is a legitimate buy now pay later service — not a scam — but overspending, late fees, and phishing scams impersonating its name are real risks every shopper should understand.
Read article →Walmart Marketplace is a legitimate platform — but third-party sellers bring the same risks as any open marketplace. Here's how to shop safely and spot fake Walmart phishing sites.
Read article →Intelius is a legitimate people search service — not a scam — but subscription traps, data privacy concerns, and phishing scams impersonating its name are real risks every user should understand.
Read article →Klarna is a legitimate buy now pay later service — not a scam — but overspending, late fees, and phishing scams impersonating its name are real risks every shopper should understand.
Read article →Grubhub is a legitimate food delivery platform — not a scam — but data privacy concerns, refund disputes, and phishing scams impersonating its name are real risks every customer should understand.
Read article →Chewy is a legitimate pet supply retailer — not a scam — but Autoship billing surprises and a wave of phishing scams impersonating its name are real risks every pet owner should understand.
Read article →DoorDash is a legitimate food delivery platform — not a scam — but data privacy concerns, driver disputes, and phishing scams impersonating its name are real risks every customer should understand.
Read article →Trustpilot is a legitimate review platform — not a scam — but fake reviews, manipulated ratings, and phishing scams impersonating its name mean you can't always trust what you read. Here's how to read between the lines.
Read article →That "unauthorized $500 charge" email is designed to make you panic and call the scammer's support number. Here's how the fake purchase alert scam works.
Read article →Mercari is a legitimate resale marketplace — not a scam — but counterfeit goods, off-platform scams, and phishing sites impersonating its name are real risks every buyer and seller should understand.
Read article →Scammers are posing as FBI IC3 agents, promising to recover money you already lost — and stealing even more in the process. Here's how the scam works.
Read article →Etsy is a legitimate marketplace — not a scam — but resellers pretending to be handmade sellers, quality disputes, and phishing scams impersonating its name are real risks every shopper should understand.
Read article →Coinbase is a legitimate crypto exchange — not a scam — but account freezes, withdrawal delays, and a massive wave of phishing scams impersonating its name are real risks every investor should understand.
Read article →Raise is a legitimate gift card marketplace — not a scam — but balance disputes, empty cards, and phishing scams impersonating its name are real risks every shopper should understand.
Read article →Rakuten is a legitimate cashback platform — not a scam — but data collection, payout delays, and phishing scams impersonating its name are real risks every shopper should understand.
Read article →StubHub is a legitimate ticket resale marketplace — not a scam — but invalid tickets, refund delays, and phishing scams impersonating its name are real risks every fan should understand.
Read article →SeatGeek is a legitimate ticket marketplace — not a scam — but resale ticket risks, refund disputes, and a wave of phishing scams targeting its name make it a platform worth understanding.
Read article →Hopper is a legitimate travel booking app — not a scam — but price prediction accuracy, price freeze fees, and phishing scams targeting its name are real risks every traveler should understand.
Read article →Expedia is a legitimate travel booking platform, not a scam — but hidden fees, customer service difficulties, and phishing scams targeting its name are real risks every traveler should understand.
Read article →Fanatics is a legitimate sports merchandise retailer — not a scam — but counterfeit goods on other sites and phishing scams targeting its name are real risks every fan should understand.
Read article →Ticketmaster is the dominant ticketing platform — not a scam — but hidden fees, dynamic pricing, and a massive wave of phishing scams targeting its name make it a risk worth understanding.
Read article →Kayak is a legitimate travel search engine — but understanding whether you're booking through Kayak or a third party it redirects you to is the key to staying safe.
Read article →Priceline is a legitimate travel booking platform, not a scam — but hidden fees, non-refundable bookings, and phishing scams targeting its name are real risks every traveler should understand.
Read article →Hurricane season brings out the scammers — fake charities, FEMA impersonators, fraudulent contractors, and relief phishing. Here's how to spot disaster fraud.
Read article →Fiverr is a legitimate freelance platform — but off-platform payment scams, fake client phishing, and account restrictions are real risks every freelancer should understand.
Read article →Wayfair is a legitimate online furniture and home goods retailer — but delivery issues, quality gaps, and phishing scams targeting its name are real risks. Here's what to know.
Read article →GOAT is a legitimate sneaker marketplace with authentication — but buyer fees, condition disputes, and phishing scams targeting its name are real risks. Here's what to know.
Read article →eBay is a legitimate marketplace with buyer protection — but with millions of third-party sellers, the risk of scams is real. Here's how to shop safely.
Read article →AliExpress is not a scam — but is it safe? Here's what every shopper should know about buyer protection, shipping, quality, counterfeits, and phishing scams in 2026.
Read article →Romance scams are the costliest type of fraud online. Here are the red flags, how the scam works step by step, and how to protect yourself before you lose everything.
Read article →From fake package delivery texts to impersonation and investment fraud, WhatsApp scams are more sophisticated than ever in 2026. Here's how to spot them.
Read article →Depop is a legitimate second-hand marketplace with buyer protection — but counterfeit goods, off-platform payment scams, and phishing make it a risk worth understanding.
Read article →AI is making crypto investment scams more convincing than ever — fake trading platforms, deepfake endorsements, and AI-generated personas. Here's how to spot them.
Read article →Vinted is a legitimate second-hand marketplace with buyer protection — but buying from individual sellers carries real risks. Here's how to shop safely.
Read article →OfferUp is a legitimate marketplace — but buying from strangers locally or online carries real risks. Here's how to stay safe on every transaction.
Read article →Scammers call elderly people pretending to be a grandchild in distress, then demand urgent money. Here's how the grandparent scam works and how to stop it.
Read article →Fake Amazon emails are the most common phishing attack online. Here's exactly how to spot one — and what to do if you already clicked.
Read article →Fake delivery texts from "UPS," "FedEx," and "USPS" are surging. Here's how the fake package delivery scam works and how to protect yourself.
Read article →DHgate is a legitimate wholesale marketplace, not a scam — but counterfeit goods, seller quality variance, and phishing scams targeting its name make it a risk worth understanding.
Read article →From fake supply deals to scholarship phishing, scammers are targeting back-to-school shoppers. Here's your complete guide to avoiding scams this school year.
Read article →Temu is not an outright scam, but data privacy concerns, product quality issues, and phishing scams targeting its name make it a risk worth understanding before you check out.
Read article →AliExpress is not a scam — it's a legitimate Alibaba-backed marketplace. But shipping delays, quality gaps, and phishing scams targeting its name are real risks every shopper should understand.
Read article →AI deepfake voice technology can now clone anyone's voice from seconds of audio. Here's how scammers use it — and the simple steps that stop them cold.
Read article →Poshmark is a legitimate marketplace with buyer protection — but buying from individual sellers carries real risks. Here's how to shop safely.
Read article →StockX is a legitimate marketplace with authentication — but buyer fees, condition disputes, and phishing scams targeting its name are real risks. Here's what to know.
Read article →Romwe is a real fast-fashion retailer, not a scam — but ultra-low prices come with real trade-offs in quality and shipping. Here's what to watch out for.
Read article →Wish is a real marketplace, not a scam — but ultra-low prices come with real trade-offs. Here's what to watch out for before you check out.
Read article →Fake crypto wallet apps look identical to the real thing — but the moment you transfer in your Bitcoin, it's gone forever. Here's how to spot them.
Read article →Sextortion emails claiming to be from hacker group ShinyHunters are using old breach data to scare you into paying Bitcoin. Here's why the threats are empty.
Read article →Scammers pretending to be your bank's fraud department are sending real couriers to your door to collect your cards and PINs. Here's how this terrifying scam works.
Read article →Zelle transfers are instant and often irreversible — which is exactly why scammers love it. Here's how Zelle scams work and how to protect your money.
Read article →Fake job postings cost victims thousands in 'equipment fees' and stolen identity data. Here's how to spot a phony job offer before you apply.
Read article →From fake supply deals to scholarship phishing, scammers are targeting back-to-school shoppers. Here's what to watch for in 2026.
Read article →From fake Airbnb listings to airline phishing emails, scammers are targeting summer travelers. Here are the 5 most common travel scams in 2026 — and how to avoid each one.
Read article →After every major disaster, fake 'FEMA relief application' sites appear within days — charging fake application fees and harvesting personal information from real victims.
Read article →Every Open Enrollment season brings a flood of calls, texts, and mailers pretending to be from Medicare or a plan provider. Here's what the scam actually collects and how to recover if you shared it.
Read article →Every year, the announcement of a Social Security cost-of-living adjustment is followed by a wave of scam calls pretending to help you 'claim' it. Here's what the scam does and how to recover.
Read article →The 'you have an unpaid toll' text is one of the most widely reported scams in the country right now. If you clicked the link and entered your card details, here's exactly what to do.
Read article →CurrentBody's LED masks and skin devices are popular targets for fake stores offering steep 'clearance' discounts — and shipping nothing, or a counterfeit, in return.
Read article →Fake stores using the SodaStream name and product photos are advertising steep 'clearance' discounts — and taking payment for machines that never arrive.
Read article →Scammers need just 3 seconds of audio to clone a voice. Here's how AI voice cloning scams work — and the one question that stops them.
Read article →A wave of fake stores using the Daniel Wellington name and logo are advertising 'closing down' watch sales — and stealing credit card details instead of shipping real watches.
Read article →Huawei is a real company, but fake Huawei Black Friday sale sites are designed to steal your money and card details. Here's how to tell the difference.
Read article →DHgate is a real wholesale marketplace, not a scam — but counterfeit goods, seller variance, and phishing scams targeting its name make it a risk worth understanding.
Read article →Amazon is the most impersonated brand online — fake order alerts, fake support calls, and lookalike login pages all trade on its name. Here's how to tell real from fake.
Read article →Cash App the company is legitimate — the danger is how scammers exploit its instant, hard-to-reverse transfers to take your money for good.
Read article →Freecash isn't a money-stealing scam outright, but its offer model and payout patterns have real red flags worth understanding before you sign up.
Read article →AliExpress is a legitimate Alibaba-backed marketplace with real buyer protection — but shipping delays, quality gaps, and phishing scams targeting its name are all real risks.
Read article →DHgate is a real wholesale marketplace, not a scam — but counterfeit goods and seller variance make it a very different kind of risk than Amazon.
Read article →There is no $2,000 tariff stimulus check. It's a scam designed to steal your personal and financial information. Here's how it works.
Read article →That 80%-off Nike clearance sale might be a complete scam. Here's how fake brand outlet sites work and how to spot them.
Read article →Shein is a real fast-fashion retailer, but ultra-low prices come with real trade-offs. Here's what to watch out for before you check out.
Read article →TikTok Shop is a real marketplace — but with thousands of third-party sellers, the risk of scams is real too. Here's how to shop safely.
Read article →Temu is not an outright scam — but it's not risk-free either. Here's what every shopper should know before checking out.
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