Community Scam Reports

How to Opt Out of Pre-Approved Credit Card Offers

Ready to clear your mailbox and take control? It’s easy!

To stop these offers, visit:
👉 www.optoutprescreen.com

or call: 📞 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688)

You can choose what works best for you:

✅ Five-year opt-out (online or by phone)

✅ Permanent opt-out by downloading, signing, and mailing a form

This process blocks the major credit bureaus from sharing your information for “firm offers of credit,” which are commonly used for mass marketing.

Does Opting Out Affect Your Credit Score?

Great news — nope! 🎉 Opting out does NOT:

❌ Lower your credit score

❌ Stop you from applying for credit

❌ Close any existing accounts

It simply limits how your data is used for marketing purposes.

What Opting Out Does Not Stop

You may still receive mail from:

🏦 Banks you already have accounts with

📝 Companies you’ve applied to in the past

📬 Non-credit-related advertisers

Opting out reduces risk, but it works best alongside smart habits like monitoring your credit and securing your mail.

Why This Matters

Reducing unnecessary exposure of your personal information is one of the easiest ways to lower fraud risk. For many consumers, opting out is a simple, stress-free first step toward better financial security — and a much quieter mailbox

Check fraud is on the rise, targeting millions of Americans each year. Stolen or altered checks can drain accounts before detection.Check fraud is quietly re-surging, targeting both individuals and businesses across the United States. Experts say criminals are finding new ways to exploit checks, even in an increasingly digital banking world.What is Check Fraud?

Check fraud occurs when someone illegally steals or manipulates a check to access funds without authorization. It can take multiple forms:

Forged checks – fake checks drawn on legitimate accounts.

Altered checks – legitimate checks with modified amounts or payees.

Counterfeit checks – fake checks designed to appear real, often targeting businesses or government payments.

Check kiting – exploiting “float” time between banks to withdraw nonexistent funds.

Stolen or misused checks – taken from mailboxes or offices and cashed without consent.

How It Happens

Criminals use a variety of methods to commit check fraud:

Mail theft – physical checks stolen from mailboxes or offices.

Phishing & social engineering – scammers trick victims into revealing bank info.

Duplicate checks & imaging fraud – scanning legitimate checks and creating duplicates.

Employee or internal fraud – misuse of company checks.

Digital deposit exploits – using apps to deposit stolen or counterfeit checks remotely.

“Businesses are often the biggest victims because checks are trusted and high-value,” says Lisa Moreno, a cybersecurity researcher specializing in financial crime. “A single fraudulent deposit can go unnoticed for days, costing thousands.”
How Banks Fight Check Fraud

Banks deploy several defenses to protect customers:

Automated check verification – validates routing numbers and check legitimacy

Positive pay systems – businesses pre-approve valid checks; anything else is flagged

Transaction monitoring – detects unusual deposits or withdrawals

Signature verification – compares check signatures with known samples

Digital deposit safeguards – fraud detection on mobile check capture

Bottom Line

Check fraud may seem old-fashioned, but it’s far from obsolete. Experts urge consumers and businesses to monitor accounts closely, safeguard physical checks, and verify unusual transactions immediately.

Also try to use bill-pay if you can!

Global financial fraud has reached historic levels, affecting nearly 1 billion people worldwide each year, according to cybersecurity and banking analysts.

Estimates show fraud now generates $1 trillion to $1.3 trillion annually, placing it among the largest criminal industries in the world, surpassing revenues from drug and human trafficking. Experts warn the real impact may be far greater, as only about 30% of fraud cases are reported.

Banks say they are increasingly relying on real-time fraud detection systems that analyze device fingerprints, login behavior, transaction patterns, and timing to stop scams before money leaves an account.

“Fraud today moves at machine speed,” said David Emerson, a former financial crime advisor to U.S. banks. “If detection doesn’t happen in seconds, losses become almost unavoidable.”

Banks Turn to Behavior and Speed Signals

Modern banks monitor every transaction for unusual activity, including:

Spending spikes

Transactions from new locations

Rapid back-to-back transfers

Unfamiliar merchants

A sudden combination of new device, new location, and large transfer is considered one of the strongest fraud indicators.

“Fraudsters don’t need to hack anymore,” said Lisa Moreno, a cybersecurity researcher specializing in account takeover. “In many cases, users are tricked into handing over access through phishing or impersonation scams.”

Data Breaches Fuel Financial Crime

Cybersecurity researchers estimate 30–40 billion personal records are exposed each year, including emails, passwords, phone numbers, and Social Security numbers. This data enables criminals to impersonate real users with increasing accuracy.

Banks respond by triggering multi-factor authentication (MFA)—such as one-time pass-codes or bio-metric verification—when risk increases. Transactions fail automatically if verification is not completed.

Outlook

Despite advances in detection, experts warn fraud will continue to rise as criminals adapt faster than traditional defenses.

“Fraud prevention is no longer optional—it’s a constant arms race,” Emerson said. “Banks and consumers are both on the front line.”

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo7JMC_oDlI

1. Never Accept Unexpected Calls Claiming to Be Your Bank
Scammers can spoof phone numbers to appear legitimate. If you receive an unsolicited call about suspicious activity, hang up immediately.
Always call your bank directly using the official number listed on their website or the back of your card and ask for the fraud department.
When it comes to financial security, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

2. Do Not Enter Personal Information From Emails or Text Messages
Never click links or submit sensitive details from emails, texts, or pop-ups claiming to be from your bank.
Instead, manually visit your bank’s official website and carefully verify the domain name to ensure it’s legitimate.
Phishing emails are one of the most common and costly scams today.

3. Keep Your PINs and Security Codes Private at All Times
Your bank will never ask for your PIN, one-time passcodes, or full account credentials — under any circumstances.
If someone requests this information, it is a scam.

4. Legitimate Financial Institutions Do Not Request Login Credentials
Banks and other official financial institutions will not ask for:
Online banking usernames
Passwords
Security answers
Any request for this information should be treated as fraudulent and reported immediately.

5. Card Fraud (“Carding”) Is Still a Major Threat — Use Digital Wallets Carding and unauthorized card use are still widespread. To reduce risk:
Avoid using physical cards when possible
Use Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, which provide tokenized digital cards
These generate new, encrypted card details for each transaction, adding an extra layer of protection
Digital wallets significantly reduce exposure to card fraud.

What Is SIM Swapping?

SIM swapping, sometimes referred to as SIM hijacking or an unauthorized SIM change, occurs when a mobile phone number is transferred to a different SIM card or eSIM without the account holder’s authorization.

This can happen when attackers successfully impersonate a customer during a carrier interaction or exploit weaknesses in account verification processes.

When a SIM swap occurs:

Mobile service may stop unexpectedly
Text messages and calls may be redirected
Account recovery codes sent by SMS may be intercepted


What Is Port-Out Fraud?

Port-out fraud is a related form of phone number theft where a number is transferred to a different mobile carrier without consent.

Because port-out requests involve multiple systems, reversing these changes may take longer, increasing the window of exposure for affected accounts.

Both SIM swapping and port-out fraud are recognized forms of identity-related telecom fraud.


Why Phone Number Security Matters

Phone numbers are commonly used as part of identity verification by banks, credit agencies, and online platforms.

They may be referenced during:

Account login verification
Password recovery processes
Credit and loan applications
Online account changes
Because of this, phone number security plays an important role in broader identity protection strategies.


SIM Swapping and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Many services use two-factor authentication (2FA) as an added security measure.
This may include:

One-time codes sent via text message
Authentication apps
Hardware security keys
Security professionals increasingly recommend non-SMS-based 2FA methods, as SMS messages can be vulnerable if a phone number is compromised.

Potential Impacts of SIM Swap Incidents

A SIM swap does not automatically result in financial loss, but it can increase exposure to:

Unauthorized account access
Account lockouts
Identity verification challenges
Delays in restoring access
For this reason, monitoring services are often used as an early-warning layer rather than a guarantee of prevention.

Who May Be at Higher Risk?

Individuals who may benefit from additional monitoring include:

Those with active credit profiles
Online banking or investment accounts
Cryptocurrency or digital asset accounts
Multiple online accounts linked to a single phone number
Risk varies by individual and usage patterns.

How Identity Theft Protection Services Can Help

Identity theft protection services are designed to monitor for signs of suspicious activity, such as:

New credit inquiries
Changes to public records
Potential data exposure
Account activity indicators
Some services also offer:

Credit monitoring
Identity recovery assistance
Educational resources

Note: Monitoring services do not prevent all fraud but may help users respond more quickly to potential issues.

General Steps to Reduce SIM Swap Risk

The following practices are commonly recommended by security professionals:

Enable a port-out PIN or account passcode with your mobile carrier
Use app-based authentication where available
Limit public sharing of your phone number
Monitor credit activity regularly
Review carrier account security settings

Choosing an Identity Theft Protection Service

When evaluating services, consider features such as:

Credit bureau monitoring
Alert delivery speed
Identity restoration support
Transparency of coverage terms
Cost and cancellation flexibility

Final Thoughts

SIM swapping and port-out fraud highlight how phone numbers are increasingly tied to digital identity.

While no service can eliminate risk entirely, awareness, secure account practices, and monitoring tools may help individuals manage potential exposure more effectively.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64p_WkYc9d0

In 2026, identity theft, fraud, and cyber crime are more advanced than ever—and many consumers are dangerously overconfident in one outdated defense: credit locking.

While freezing your credit is a good first step, it is not full protection.

Even with your credit locked, fraudsters can still:

Add a fraudulent address or phone number to your credit profile

Attempt to social-engineer credit bureaus to unlock your file

Open bank accounts in your name (credit freezes don’t stop this)

Commit check fraud, insurance fraud, and unemployment fraud

Take over your phone with SIM-swap attacks

Hack your email, then reset passwords across your financial accounts

⚠️ The Hard Truth About Free Credit Monitoring

Many companies advertise free credit monitoring, but most only alert you after the damage is done. They often fail to detect:

Bank account fraud

Email account takeovers

Dark web data leaks

Unauthorized personal data changes

By the time you’re notified, criminals may already have access to your money—or your identity.

✅ The Smarter Way to Protect Yourself in the Digital Age

Real protection requires layered security, not a single lock.

Our Top Recommendations Include:

✔ Advanced Credit & Identity Monitoring
✔ Email Breach Scanning — continuously checks if your email appears in data breaches, leaks, or dark-web databases
✔ Financial Fraud Alerts
✔ Identity Recovery Support & Insurance

Your email address is the gateway to your digital life. If it’s compromised, criminals can reset passwords, intercept alerts, and take over accounts silently. That’s why our Email Breach Scanner is one of the most important tools we recommend.

🔍 Scan the web, breach databases, and dark web sources to see if your email has been exposed — before criminals use it against you.

🚨 Fraud Is Evolving. Your Protection Should Too.

Identity theft isn’t slowing down—and credit locks alone won’t stop it.

👉 View our top-rated identity protection tools and email breach scanning solutions
👉 Protect your credit, your accounts, and your digital identity today
Alert

DALLAS–FORT WORTH — She arrived at an Audi dealership ready to drive off in a luxury car. She left in handcuffs.

A 2023 police encounter involving a suspected identity fraud has resurfaced online, drawing millions of views after body-camera footage showed officers questioning a woman who tried to buy a vehicle using only a temporary paper driver’s license.

Dealership staff contacted police after the identification raised concerns. Officers say the document did not match state databases and returned inconsistent personal information, triggering a fraud investigation.

Body-cam video shows officers repeatedly asking the woman for additional proof of identity. Attempts to verify her name, birth date, and license number failed, and answers reportedly conflicted when police pressed for clarification.

What began as a routine car purchase quickly shifted into a criminal probe.

Authorities say dealerships are required to verify identities during high-value transactions to comply with federal reporting rules and to prevent identity and loan fraud — crimes that cost the auto industry millions each year.

The footage, which has gone viral on TikTok and YouTube, has sparked debate online. Some viewers accuse police of overreacting, while others say the investigation followed standard fraud-prevention procedures.

Police ultimately arrested the woman on suspicion of fraud. The final outcome of the case has not been made public.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6FxHxzSSOU

DAVIE, Fla. — A South Florida man accused of orchestrating a brazen bank scam that drained more than $200,000 from a Davie woman is behind bars after police set a trap that ended with his arrest.

Authorities say 23-year-old Miles Friday of Hollywood impersonated federal regulators and bank officials, convincing the victim she was helping stop fraud — while actually wiring away her life savings.

Police reports say the scheme began in late December with a phone call claiming to flag a suspicious purchase. The caller then handed the woman off to a supposed fraud investigator, who detectives say was Friday. He allegedly cited real account activity to gain her trust and warned of large, unauthorized wire transfers.

Investigators say Friday pressured the woman to move money herself, claiming it would be safeguarded by the federal government and later returned. Over several days, she was instructed to wire funds, withdraw cash from multiple bank branches, and hand it off through Uber couriers — all while being told to stay silent with bank employees.

By the time detectives intervened, police say the woman had lost about $203,000.

The case unraveled when officers staged a sting at a Davie bank, replacing cash with fake money. Surveillance teams followed the courier to an apartment complex, where Friday was seen collecting the package and was immediately arrested.

Police say Friday later admitted to posing as an FDIC representative and working with others in a larger fraud ring. He remains in the Broward Main Jail on a $90,000 bond, which prosecutors say must come from a legitimate source.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdP8uNorGRs