The FBI just issued a stark warning: account takeover fraud is surging, and the numbers are alarming. Since January 2025, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center has received more than 5,100 complaints about this type of fraud, with losses exceeding $262 million. Being aware of this trend can help you feel more in control and prepared. This isn't just targeting wealthy individuals or large corporations. Criminals are going after everyone — individuals, small businesses, organizations of all sizes. If you have an online bank account, payroll system, or health savings account, you're a potential target. Understanding that anyone with online accounts can be targeted helps prevent false security assumptions and encourages proactive protection. How Account Takeover Fraud Works Account takeover (ATO) fraud is exactly what it sounds like: criminals gain unauthorized access to your online financial accounts, then drain the funds before you realize what's happened. Rece...
This Apple Scam Almost Got Me (And It Might Get You Too) So here's what happened to my friend Sarah last week. She's not someone who usually falls for scams—she's a marketing director, pretty tech-savvy, always careful online. But this Apple scam? It almost got her completely. And honestly, after she walked me through what happened, I totally get why. This thing doesn't use obvious red flags like those "URGENT: Your account will be deleted!" emails we're all used to spotting. Instead, it's scary good. We're talking real Apple security messages, real Apple Support emails, real everything —while scammers quietly work in the background to steal your entire account. Sarah described it perfectly: "It made my blood run cold when I realized what almost happened." Yeah. That tracks. So let me break this down for you: How the scam works, step by step Simple rules you can follow to avoid it What to do if you think you've already been ta...