Medicare Scam Calls Surge Before Open Enrollment
Medicare Open Enrollment happens every year from October 15 through December 7. As that window approaches, many older adults receive a flood of calls, texts, emails, and mailings about coverage, benefits, and plan changes. Some contacts may be legitimate marketing. Others are designed to steal your Medicare number, Social Security number, banking information, or credit […]
How AI Is Making Online Scams More Convincing
Hey everyone, Earl here. We have always talked about being careful with your money, but the world just got a lot more complicated. AI is making online scams more sophisticated, personalized, and harder to recognize. For years, we could spot a scam from a mile away because of a misspelled word, a weird-looking logo, or […]
What To Do Immediately If You’ve Been Scammed
If you have recently realized you were scammed, I want you to take a deep breath. You are likely feeling a mix of anger, embarrassment, and sheer panic. I have been in the financial world for a long time, and I can tell you one thing for certain: you are not alone. Every year, millions […]
Romance, Crypto, and Impersonation Scams Explained
Modern fraud has evolved far beyond the simple, misspelled emails of the past. Today, criminal networks use a sophisticated blend of psychological manipulation, advanced technology, and financial complexity to target individuals across every demographic. At Ask The Money Coach, we have seen how these schemes can devastate families, wipe out retirement savings, and leave deep […]
The Most Common Scam Red Flags Everyone Should Know
Financial scammers are constantly evolving. They change their stories, update their scripts, and leverage new technology to appear legitimate. However, while their stories change, the underlying tactics remain remarkably consistent. If you can recognize the universal warning signs of fraud, you can spot a scam before it affects your bank account. Understanding these red flags […]
The Psychology Behind Financial Scams: Why Smart People Fall for Fraud
Intelligence is often seen as a shield against deception. We assume that if we are well educated, successful in our careers, and financially literate, we are immune to the tactics of a common fraudster. However, the reality of modern financial crime tells a different story. Scammers do not target your intellect. Instead, they target your […]
How to Spot a Rental Listing Scam Before You Lose Money
To avoid a rental listing scam, never send money for a security deposit or first month’s rent before you have physically toured the property and verified the landlord’s identity. Scammers often use hijacked photos from real listings to lure victims with “too good to be true” prices. If a landlord refuses an in-person tour, pressures […]
Disaster-Relief Donation Scams and How to Give Safely
When hurricanes, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, or other disasters strike, many people want to help quickly. Unfortunately, scammers understand that generosity creates an opportunity. They may create fake charities, imitate familiar organizations, copy legitimate websites, or circulate emotional donation appeals through social media. Their goal is simple: divert money intended for people in need. The good […]
The AI-versus-AI Fraud Arms Race and What It Means for Your Accounts
Scammers have always relied on deception. Artificial intelligence now helps them produce that deception faster, more cheaply, and at greater scale. A fraudulent message can be written in polished language. A fake customer-service representative can sound convincing on the phone. A fabricated social media profile can build credibility over weeks or months. Scammers may even […]
Avoid This Scam: Deepfake Celebrity Endorsement Investment Scams
A familiar face appears in a polished video. The person seems to be describing a breakthrough investment platform, an exclusive trading opportunity, or a “secret” method for building wealth. The video looks authentic. A news article appears to confirm the story. The website displays an account balance and rising profits. But none of it may […]
Ai-powered Phishing And How To Spot A Scam When The Old Warning Signs Are Gone
Phishing used to be easier to recognize. The message might contain poor grammar, a strange-looking link, or an obvious impersonation. Those clues are no longer reliable. Artificial intelligence can help scammers write flawless messages, imitate familiar communication styles, clone voices, create fake login pages, and respond to victims in real time. The result is a […]
AI-Powered Phishing and Why the Old Warning Signs Are Gone
AI-powered phishing is changing how scams look and sound. A message can have perfect grammar, use your name, reference a real family member, and arrive through a familiar channel. A phone call can sound like your child, bank, employer, or healthcare provider. The safest rule is no longer “look for typos.” It is “verify the […]
Zombie Credit Cards and the Expired Card Loophole
You probably assume an expired credit card is dead. The date printed on the plastic has passed, a replacement card has arrived, and the old card seems useful only for the trash. That assumption may not always be safe. Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst discovered a payment-system loophole that can allow certain expired […]
Avoid This Scam: The Brushing Scam and What That Unexpected Package Really Means
An unexpected package can create a strange mix of curiosity and concern. Maybe you receive a cheap household item, a product you do not recognize, or a package addressed to you that nobody in the household ordered. According to the FTC Consumer Alert published August 20, 2026, that package could be part of a brushing […]
Avoid This Scam: AI Voice Cloning, Clone Phishing, and In-Person Bank Impersonators
Knowledge Snapshot: AI voice Cloning Scam, Clone Phishing, & Impersonators Core Threat: Multi-channel social engineering combining generative AI audio, duplicated business emails, and physical branch impersonation. Primary Targets: Individuals, family offices, tax professionals, and high-net-worth investors managing significant cash flow. Key Vulnerability: Trust in familiar communication channels and established authority figures. Essential Defense: Implementing the […]