Scam alerts: what's going around right now

What are this week’s top scam warnings?

Updated October 18, 2026. These scam alerts summarize official warnings; follow the links for full details. If one of these scams already reached you, start with our first-hour checklist after a scam.

1. Midterm election scams: fake donations, “investment pools” and voter-registration texts

On October 15, 2026, the FBI warned that scammers are using the midterm election in several ways: promising a guaranteed return on campaign contributions, posing as political action committees and keeping the donations, selling political merchandise that never ships, and sending texts or emails saying you are not registered to vote with a link to a fake registration page that steals personal information. The FBI also warns that AI is being used to imitate candidates’ voices and images.

What to do: campaign donations are not an investment and will never pay you back. Check your registration only at the official site you type in yourself — the FBI points to vote.gov — and don’t click links in unexpected election texts. Read our full alert: FBI warns of 2026 midterm election scams.

2. Callers pretending to be police, courts and government officials

In a September 2026 alert, the FBI reported nearly 61,000 complaints and more than $1.6 billion in losses from January 2025 to July 2026 to scammers impersonating law enforcement and government officials. Common stories include a missed jury duty or court date with a warrant, an expiring license or passport, and accusations of a crime. Some scammers now use AI to appear as officials on video calls and demand payment by prepaid card, courier, wire, crypto or cash at a crypto kiosk.

What to do: the FBI says officials will never call or text to demand payment or ask for sensitive information. Hang up. See government impostor scams.

3. Health insurance and Medicare open enrollment scams

The FTC warns that during open enrollment, scammers use web addresses and logos that look like HealthCare.gov or Medicare.gov, and buy ads at the top of search results. Calling the number in an ad can lead to a plan that isn’t real insurance — or to medical identity theft.

What to do: go directly to Medicare.gov or call 1-800-633-4227; for ACA plans use HealthCare.gov or call 800-318-2596. Free help is available from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program and Senior Medicare Patrol. Read our alert on Medicare Open Enrollment scams, our guide to HealthCare.gov and Marketplace scams (Marketplace enrollment opens November 1), and what to do when “Medicare” calls.

4. Paid “sextortion help” services that don’t help

On October 13, 2026, the FTC said it sued the operator of Digital Forensics, which ran sites including BlackmailHelpline.com. The FTC says the company falsely promised to stop sextortion threats, charged people thousands of dollars and didn’t deliver.

What to do: the FTC’s advice is to ignore and block the blackmailer and not pay them or give them access to your devices or accounts. Real help is free: report the blackmailer to local police and to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-225-5324. If a platform won’t remove an intimate image within 48 hours of your request, report it at TakeItDown.ftc.gov. If the threat came by email, see scams that use your email address.

5. Fees to “boost” your Social Security benefits

Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General warned in September 2026 about calls, ads, letters, texts and social media posts offering to “boost,” “unlock” or “maximize” your benefits for an upfront fee. The OIG says Social Security does not offer to increase benefits in exchange for money, and benefit amounts are set by law.

What to do: don’t pay. If you have questions about your benefits, hang up and call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, and report the scam at ssa.gov/scam. See 2027 Social Security COLA scams and Social Security scams.

6. Real FTC refund checks, and the scams that copy them

On October 15, 2026, the FTC said it is mailing checks to 65,022 people harmed in a case involving Walmart’s wire transfer services, and that recipients should cash them within 90 days. The FTC says it never requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a payment.

What to do: anyone who asks for a fee or your bank details to release an FTC refund is a scammer. See how to contact the real FTC.

7. Fake QR codes on parking meters

Scammers are sticking their own QR codes over the real ones on parking meters, according to a September 2026 FTC alert. Scanning one can send you to a fake payment site that steals your money or personal information.

What to do: check the link your phone shows before opening it, look for spelling mistakes, and pay through the official parking app or meter when you can. If you entered a password, change it; check your card statements. See QR code scams: when not to scan.

8. Copycat websites: car dealers and bill-pay pages

The FTC warned in September 2026 that scammers are copying real car dealership websites — sometimes with AI — to take upfront payments for cars that don’t exist, often advertising rare or classic models. In August 2026 it also warned that some companies buy search ads that make them look like the official place to pay a bill, then add fees.

What to do: scroll past paid search results, type addresses yourself, ask to see a car and dealership in person, and walk away from “wire transfer only” demands. Use our 10 checks to tell if a website is legit.

9. Fake “recovery” services — including fake FBI accounts

Scammers are targeting people who already lost money. The FBI warns of fake IC3 profiles and pages on Facebook Messenger and Telegram — sometimes with AI-generated videos of FBI staff — offering to recover funds for a fee. IC3 has no social media presence, never contacts people directly, and never charges to recover money. See recovery scams.

10. Couriers collecting cash for crypto “investments”

The FBI warns that some crypto investment scammers now send couriers to pick up cash from victims’ homes — usually older adults — after banks block their transfers. See trading scam red flags.

11. Fake jobs that ask you to host laptops at home

In an October 13, 2026 announcement, the FBI warned that North Korean IT workers post fake freelance jobs that ask people to receive and host laptops at home or to interview for someone else, and that they target people under financial stress. The FBI says to reject any offer that pays you for your personal or financial information or account logins. See job and task scams.

Which seasonal scams should you expect next?

Some scams follow the calendar. These are the ones to expect over the next few weeks:

• Medicare Open Enrollment (Oct. 15–Dec. 7): fake plan calls, “new card” offers and look-alike search ads. See Medicare Open Enrollment scams: what to watch for.
• Marketplace Open Enrollment (Nov. 1–Jan. 15): look-alike HealthCare.gov ads and fake plans. See HealthCare.gov and Marketplace scams.
• Election scams (through Election Day, Nov. 3, 2026): fake campaign “investment pools,” scam PACs and voter-registration texts. See FBI warns of 2026 midterm election scams.
• Holiday shopping and charity (November–December): copycat stores, too-good-to-be-true ads and pressure to pay by gift card or wire. See holiday shopping scams 2026 and charity scams: how to check a charity before you give.

Which older scams are still common?

These scams never really go away. If you get one, the linked guides explain exactly what to do:

• Fake package delivery texts — the most-reported text scam of 2024, the FTC found. See USPS will never send you this text.
• Unpaid toll texts — see toll road scam texts.
• Fake bank fraud alerts — see card scams and fake fraud alerts.
• Tech-support pop-ups — see tech support scams.
• Cloned voices of grandchildren — see AI scams and your family.

How is this page updated?

Every week, our writer reviews the newest FTC Consumer Alerts and FBI public service announcements on IC3.gov, selects the warnings most relevant to older adults and their families, and summarizes them in plain English. We only include scams described by an official source, listed below. Read our editorial policy for details.