From viral K-beauty products to Social Security benefits and everyday Amazon purchases, scammers are exploiting trusted names to steal your money and sensitive information. These ongoing schemes are all designed to look legitimate while putting your finances — and in some cases your health — at risk.
- K-Beauty Knockoff Scams: K-beauty’s growing popularity has made it a prime target for scammers selling fake or nonexistent skincare products. Experts warn that beyond losing money, counterfeit skincare may pose a risk to your health. “There are a lot of issues with fake products right now in Korean beauty,” says Leo Park of Seoul Beauty Club, who named Medicube, Anua and Beauty of Joseon as three brands that scammers often try to imitate. Leo recommends that consumers “buy from places that come from Korea,” but added that “If you want to buy from Amazon, be sure that you buy from an authorized page only.”
- Phishing for Your SSN: If you happen to get an email from the Social Security Administration asking to “review” or “update” your information, be wary. There’s been a spike in fraudulent emails containing logos and formatting from the Social Security Administration to look legitimate. In reality, the links in them lead to sites designed to steal Social Security numbers, banking details or login credentials. Remember that the SSA generally does not send unsolicited emails requesting your personal information.
- Prime Time for Fraud: Scammers are zeroing in on Amazon customers through a trio of common schemes, according to experts at IT Asset Management Group. Prime membership scams start with an unexpected call, text or email claiming there’s an issue with your account, urging you to click a link or share banking details. Then, there’s fake order confirmation scams, where you’ll receive emails about a supposed payment failure or delivery problem and be directed to websites designed to steal your information. Lastly, fake listing scams have scammers creating storefronts that offer popular items at unusually low prices, only for buyers to receive counterfeit goods — or nothing at all.
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The most common types of scam you should know
Scammers are constantly upping their game, coming up with new and exciting ways (for them) of fooling their targets. AI-powered scams are one example of this: the technology is being used to reach a larger number of people with increasingly more convincing schemes.
But some tricks never run out of style. Most scams fall into a handful of familiar patterns, and those of yore are still very much a threat today — they’ve just evolved to better fit today’s digital landscape.
- Imposter scams: Scammers often pose as trusted figures like government agencies, banks, employers and even friends or family to pressure victims into sending money or sharing personal information.
- Phishing and spoofing scams: These scams use emails, texts or phone calls that look like they’re from legitimate organizations. The goal is to trick you into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or handing over sensitive information.
- Online shopping scams: Fraudsters can create fake online stores or listings with hard-to-find items at unusually low prices. After you pay for an article, what you end up getting might be counterfeit — or it may never arrive in the first place.
- Investment scams: This type of scam often arrives with promises of high returns from crypto, forex or other “exclusive” opportunities. Many involve long-term grooming tactics, where victims are encouraged to invest more over time before losing everything.
- Romance scams: Some scammers try to get into your pocket through the heart. They build a relationship with you on dating apps or social media, then convince you to give up money and assets by fabricating emergencies or investment opportunities.
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What to do if you’re the target — or victim — of a scam
No one is immune to scams or fraud, but a few consistent habits can reduce their danger and the damage they cause.
For starters, be skeptical of unsolicited messages, especially those creating fear or urgency. This might look like an email from your bank threatening to close an account, a text from an online marketplace saying you’ll lose a discount or a call from the IRS claiming they’ll report you to the authorities unless you “act now.”
Scammers love to use this sort of language because it puts the target on the spot, which expects hope will move you to act.
Suffice it to say, always verify any requests from an organization by cross-checking with its official phone numbers, email or website. And don’t click any links, download attachments or respond to messages you suspect may be fraudulent. A legitimate organization will not pressure you for instant action or secrecy.
Now, if you’ve already sent financial information or money to someone you suspect is a scammer, you’ll need to jump through some hoops. Contact your bank, credit card issuer or payment platform immediately and attempt to stop or reverse transactions. Make sure to change any relevant passwords and enable multi-factor authentication to safeguard your accounts, too.
Reporting a scam might also help protect others. You can file a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov and with local authorities at your nearby police department or sheriff’s office. Identity theft victims should also consider momentarily freezing their credit.
Lastly, review your financial statements and credit reports regularly, keep your software updated and limit how much personal information you share online. Scammers often rely on publicly available details to make their schemes more convincing.
From viral K-beauty products to Social Security benefits and everyday Amazon purchases, scammers are exploiting trusted names to steal your money and sensitive information. These ongoing schemes are all designed to look legitimate while putting your finances — and in some cases your health — at risk.
K-Beauty Knockoff Scams: K-beauty’s growing popularity has made it a prime target for scammers selling fake or nonexistent skincare products. Experts warn that beyond losing money, counterfeit skincare may pose a risk to your health. “There are a lot of issues with fake products right now in Korean beauty,” says Leo Park of Seoul Beauty Club, who named Medicube, Anua and Beauty of Joseon as three brands that scammers often try to imitate. Leo recommends that consumers “buy from places that come from Korea,” but added that “If you want to buy from Amazon, be sure that you buy from an authorized page only.”
Phishing for Your SSN: If you happen to get an email from the Social Security Administration asking to “review” or “update” your information, be wary. There’s been a spike in fraudulent emails containing logos and formatting from the Social Security Administration to look legitimate. In reality, the links in them lead to sites designed to steal Social Security numbers, banking details or login credentials. Remember that the SSA generally does not send unsolicited emails requesting your personal information.
Prime Time for Fraud: Scammers are zeroing in on Amazon customers through a trio of common schemes, according to experts at IT Asset Management Group. Prime membership scams start with an unexpected call, text or email claiming there’s an issue with your account, urging you to click a link or share banking details. Then, there’s fake order confirmation scams, where you’ll receive emails about a supposed payment failure or delivery problem and be directed to websites designed to steal your information. Lastly, fake listing scams have scammers creating storefronts that offer popular items at unusually low prices, only for buyers to receive counterfeit goods — or nothing at all.
Protect your digital life: See Lifelock’s current identity theft plans and get your first year of the standard plan for just $7.99 a month
The most common types of scam you should know
Scammers are constantly upping their game, coming up with new and exciting ways (for them) of fooling their targets. AI-powered scams are one example of this: the technology is being used to reach a larger number of people with increasingly more convincing schemes.
But some tricks never run out of style. Most scams fall into a handful of familiar patterns, and those of yore are still very much a threat today — they’ve just evolved to better fit today’s digital landscape.
Imposter scams: Scammers often pose as trusted figures like government agencies, banks, employers and even friends or family to pressure victims into sending money or sharing pers
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