Scam stories

Real scam stories and warnings. Each one shows how the scam worked and one habit that can help stop it.

Every story has a label. Real, reported means it comes from public sources, with links; some details may be dramatized. Real, reported: nothing added or dramatized means we tell it only as the public records say. Composite/dramatized means it mixes common cases, and names, places, and numbers are made up. Hypothetical means a "what if" scam that could happen next. People who haven't been convicted are presumed innocent.

• Real Estate & Title Real, reported

  Look what happened to this home buyer's closing, so it doesn't happen to yours

  Real, reported: a fake title company email redirected a home closing wire. Warning signs and the call-back habit that ca…

• CPA & Tax Composite/dramatized

  Look what happened to this tax office, so it doesn't happen to yours

  Composite story: a fake "new client" steals a tax office's logins. Warning signs and habits that can help reduce the ris…

• Medical/Dental Real, reported: nothing added or dramatized

  Look what happened to these healthcare organizations, so it doesn't happen to your practice

  Real, reported: HHS OCR settled with four healthcare groups after ransomware. What a risk analysis is and why it matters…

• Insurance Hypothetical

  Look what happened to this insurance agency, so it doesn't happen to yours

  Hypothetical scenario: a fake portal reset lets a scammer change claim and commission bank details. Habits that can help…

• Law Hypothetical

  Look what happened to this law firm's settlement payout, so it doesn't happen to yours

  Hypothetical scenario: a scammer switches the bank account for a settlement payout. Warning signs and call-back habits t…

• Cyber (cross-industry) Real, reported

  The Email Was Real. The Bank Account Wasn't: Inside a $25M Payment-Diversion Scheme

  A federal jury convicted two people in a $25M business email compromise scheme. Here's how it worked and 5 habits to pro…