PAUSE, PROVE, PROTECT: HOW TO AVOID BEING SCAMMED + SCAMS TO WATCH FOR IN 2026

Just listen to this.

It’s proof that AI and other modern-day scams can subvert your mind and your finances. This video shows how quickly and realistically it can be done. (The reporter even duped his mom.)

From a grandmother who falls for a phone call saying her granddaughter is being held for a $50,000 ransom to a 28-year-old who’s fallen for a deepfake video of an influencer promoting products or services that don’t exist, financial scams feel like they’re ever-present in today’s world.

The numbers back it up:   

• Since 2020, the number of adults age 60 and older who reported a loss of $10,000 or more from impostor scams alone more than quadrupled in 2024, according to the FTC.

• Reported losses of $100,000 or more jumped from $55 million to $445 million during that same period.

Looking ahead, what kind of scams might we see slip into our inboxes or phones?

5 Scams That Could Give Us Trouble in 2026

1. AI-Generated Scams
   Last year, the FBI San Francisco division issued a warning that AI scams are on the rise. Scammers use deepfake technology to clone voices of loved ones or authority figures to demand immediate, fake payments. AI also can be used to create fake websites, among other scams. The National Council on Aging shares a story of a Brooklyn woman who received a call from what sounded like her in-laws, followed by a stranger claiming the couple was being held for ransom. The voices the woman heard sounded just like her relatives’. However, they had been cloned by AI. Voice cloning is often used in scams where the criminal pretends to be a family member who is in trouble or a trusted figure asking for urgent help.
   
   Signs to watch for:
   - Unnatural language, like repetitive use of certain words and phrases or nonsensical sentences, may be a sign that what you’re seeing or hearing is AI generated.

   - Requests for personal information or payment in the form of gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfers, because they usually are not traceable.

2. Employment Scams More than 1.17 million U.S. workers were laid off in 2025, the highest number since 2020. Because of this, “employment scams are making a big comeback,” says Better Business Bureau spokesperson Melanie McGovern. These scams show up as fake job postings in online ads, on social media or on job-search websites. Some scammers even pretend to be real companies or employment agencies to steal personal information or convince people to pay unnecessary fees.

   Signs to watch for:

   - If you hear things that just aren’t adding up, like guarantees of high pay and few hours for a work-from-home job, chances are, it’s fake.

   - Have a recruiter called you out of the blue? Check the company’s website and see if they’re hiring for that particular position and if the person actually works there.

3. Recovery Scams
   You think the person on the other end is nice. Turns out, they’re scamming you again. A recovery scam is a form of fraud that targets previously scammed victims in which perpetrators offer to recover lost funds, items or data for an upfront fee. Often, it’s the same criminal, contacting you again weeks later, posing as the “good guy,” or someone from law enforcement, a consumer advocacy organization, a law firm or a government agency. 
   
   Signs to watch for:
   - Criminals may charge in advance for their fake services and ask you to pay for their services with gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers or Venmo.

   - According to the Federal Trade Commission, criminals will sometimes send a counterfeit check, often for more than what you lost. Then they’ll tell you they overpaid and that you must return the balance.
   
   Best defense? Research the recovery firm’s name using keywords such as “scam,” “fraud” or “complaint.”

4. “Hello, Pervert” Scams”
   Otherwise known as the “I-know-what-you’re-doing-on-your-computer” scam, criminals email people claiming they hacked their computer and recorded them visiting pornographic sites. They then threaten to send the evidence to the victim’s contacts unless the criminal is paid.
   
   What to do:
   - Stay calm—and don’t give in to any demands right away. Urgency is a frequent scam tactic.
   - Don’t open the email; delete it immediately. If you reply, criminals know your email address is active and they’ll likely send more messages.
   - Same for attachments. Blackmail messages are frequently sent as PDFs to bypass phishing filters.

5. Romance/Friendship Scams
   It’s living proof of the age-old phrase that “flattery will get you everywhere.” Often following a familiar pattern, a scammer, also known as a catfisher, assumes a false identity and lulls you into feeling like you’re their one and only. They’ll establish contact through dating apps, messaging apps and social media, and once they establish trust, they’ll ask for money or suggest investments in cryptocurrency.  
   
   Signs to watch for:
   - If they don’t want to meet in person, continually cancel or delay, that’s a red flag.
   - Love bombing. They’ll overwhelm you with over-the-top adoration and affection. It’s a way for scammers to control the relationship.
   - They quickly want you to move your conversation off the dating app or social media site to another platform like WhatsApp. They don’t want the conversation to be monitored by a platform’s scam-seeking algorithms.

What’s the most important thing you can do to protect yourself from these threats?

At Alia, we encourage clients to follow this phrase: Pause, prove, protect.

1. Pause before doing anything, especially giving out personal information or sending money.
   A scammer’s most powerful weapons are your emotion and sense of urgency.

2. Prove that the source is safe.
   - Legitimate sites provide verifiable phone numbers, email addresses and physical addresses.
   - Ensure the web address is accurate and starts with https://, not http://.
   - Search for “[Company Name] + scam” or “complaints” to find reviews and third-party reports.

3. Protect yourself and your identity.
   - Choose strong, unique passwords for every account. Reusing passwords makes it easier for hackers to access multiple accounts if one is compromised. Changing your passwords periodically is also a smart habit.

   - Use public Wi-Fi with an abundance of caution. If you must use them, avoid doing sensitive things like shopping or banking on public Wi-Fi. Using a VPN can also help keep your connection more secure.
   - Never share personal details like your Social Security number, date of birth, account numbers or passwords with someone who contacts you unexpectedly. Legitimate companies won’t reach out, out of the blue asking for that information. If you’re unsure, contact the organization directly using official contact info.
   - Remember, what you share online, you share with the world. Personal details like birthdays, pet names, family, job information, your location and hometown, can give scammers clues to guess your passwords or security questions.

If you’d like more information on financial scams or additional advice on how to protect yourself and your loved ones, contact us today. We’re here to help.

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The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results.

The economic forecasts set forth in this material may not develop as predicted and there can be no guarantee that strategies promoted will be successful.

Government bonds and Treasury bills are guaranteed by the US government as to the timely payment of principal and interest and, if held to maturity, offer a fixed rate of return and fixed principal value.

There is no guarantee that a diversified portfolio will enhance overall returns or outperform a non-diversified portfolio. Diversification does not protect against market risk.

The fast price swings in commodities will result in significant volatility in an investor’s holdings. Commodities include increased risks, such as political, economic, and currency instability, and may not be suitable for all investors.

Disclosure: Content in this material is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as ERISA, tax, legal or investment advice. All investments involves risk including loss of principal. No strategy assures success or protects against loss. 

The content provided herein is based on our interpretation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and is not intended to be legal advice or provide a tax opinion. This document is a summary only and not meant to represent all provisions within the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.