True stories
Real scam stories
These really happened, to famous people and everyday families alike. Each short story shows how the scam worked, and the simple habit that would have stopped it.
How Tiger Woods Fell Victim to Identity Theft, and How You Can Protect Yourself
A thief stole the identity of golf legend Tiger Woods, and the same simple steps protect yours.
Read this story →How Cristiano Ronaldo Was Scammed Out of £250,000
A trusted travel agent defrauded the football star of £250,000, and why it pays to watch your own accounts.
Read this story →How Kiefer Sutherland Lost $869,000 in a Cattle Investment Scam
The actor lost $869,000 to an investment scam, and how to recognize the same trap before you do.
Read this story →Tech Support Scam: A Story of Deception and Awareness
A retired man nearly falls for a tech-support pop-up, and the simple habit that saves him just in time.
Read this story →Romance Scams: A True Story, and How to Protect the People You Love
A warm, true-to-life story of an online romance scam, and how to protect the people you care about.
Read this story →Your Check Is in Danger
A Social Security phone scam, and the one rule that stops it: the government never calls to demand payment.
Read this story →How Fran Bates Was Tricked at a Bitcoin ATM
A caller pushed Fran Bates toward a Bitcoin ATM, where police intervention helped stop the loss.
Read this story →How Lazaro Suarez Lost $8,000 to a Grandparent Scam
A family emergency call pressured Lazaro Suarez into sending $8,000.
Read this story →How Medicare Patients Were Pulled Into an Orthotic Brace Scheme
A Medicare brace scheme shows how health-care scams can reach real patients.
Read this story →How Oregon Drivers Were Put on Credit Freeze Alert
After Oregon driver data was exposed, credit-freeze alerts became the practical lesson.
Read this story →How a Remote Assistant Offer Turned Into a Fake Check Scam
A remote-assistant offer turned into the classic fake-check overpayment trap.
Read this story →See how it happens, then learn how to stop it.
Every story ends with the one habit that would have stopped it. Take a free course to build the same habit for yourself.
