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Scam Watch

Fraud can happen to anyone. Outsmart the criminals.

New alert every Tuesday Members are the watch amac.us/scams
Alert · Tuesday, September 15

This Week’s Watch

Situation report · FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025

$7.75B

reported stolen from Americans 60-plus in 2025

That is the criminals’ annual revenue — and every report filed at IC3.gov shrinks it by feeding the FBI’s case map.

+59%

one-year rise in reported losses

The wave is accelerating — which is exactly why a new alert posts here every Tuesday.

$38,501

average reported loss

The three-second pause — hang up, look up the real number, call back — costs nothing.

What members are reporting this week

Trending Now

  1. Running hot

    “Confirm your order” texts

    Fake Amazon and UPS texts ask you to “dispute” a purchase you never made.

    Counter-moveNever tap the link — check the account from your own bookmark or app.

  2. Rising

    Gold and cash courier pickups

    A “federal agent” says your savings are at risk and sends a courier to collect.

    Counter-moveNo government agency sends couriers. Hang up and call 1-833-FRAUD-11.

  3. Steady

    Medicare “new card” calls

    A caller needs your Medicare number to mail you an updated card.

    Counter-moveReal cards arrive by mail without a phone call. When in doubt, call 1-800-MEDICARE.

The files · a new briefing every Tuesday

Know the Play Before the Phone Rings

Know their playbook

Browse by Scam

  • Government impostors IRS, Social Security, “jury duty” calls
  • Phone & AI voice Spoofed numbers, cloned family voices
  • Investment & crypto Gold buybacks, fake trading platforms
  • Romance & connection Long cons that start with friendship
  • Tech support Pop-ups, fake refunds, remote access
  • Medicare & health Card “updates” and bogus billing
Member reports from the field

From the Watch Community

“Got the “grandson in jail” call Tuesday — lawyer on the line and everything. I paused, hung up, and called my daughter on her real number. He was at baseball practice. Nothing lost.”
— Dale, Ohio
“A “Medicare rep” wanted my number to mail the new card. I remembered: real cards come by mail without a call. Checked, reported it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, done in a minute.”
— Carol, Arizona
“We set the family password at Sunday dinner, just like the alert said. The grandkids picked the name of our old beagle. Ten minutes, and the clone scam is worthless on us.”
— Frank, Pennsylvania

Seen one? Warn the watch in the comments. Every report posted here reaches thousands of members before the phone rings.

Report what you’re seeing →
The standing record

From the Archive

Home Contractor Watch Out for Contractor Fraud Read → Aug 4, 2026 Open Season: The Six-Week Summer Window Scammers Have Circled on Their Calendars Read → Investment Crypto Fake Gold, Fake Crypto: The $3.5 Billion Machine Aimed at Retirement Savings — and the 5-Minute Check That Stops It Read → Recovery Rescam A Criminal Took the Money. Here's Your First 48 Hours. Read → Government Impostor The Government Isn't Calling You: How to Hang Up on IRS, SSA, and "Jury Duty" Impostors Read → Phone AI Voice That Voice Isn't Your Grandchild: One Family Password Beats the AI Clone Scam Read → Other The $7.7 Billion Heist: Inside the Criminal Industry Targeting Your Generation Read → Other Confirm-Your-Order Scams Read →

Report It

Reporting protects the next family — it’s what the watch does. Even if no money moved, every report maps the industry for investigators.

  • ReportFraud.ftc.govThe FTC’s national fraud file — about a minute online.
  • IC3.govThe FBI — fast reports have frozen funds before they leave the country.
  • 1-833-FRAUD-11National Elder Fraud Hotline (DOJ) — a case manager walks you through every step.

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