How to protect yourself against blackmail email scams
A blackmail email scam relies on public information, using a person's name, address and even a street view image of where they live.
A blackmail email scam relies on public information, using a person's name, address and even a street view image of where they live.
Employment scams surged by 118% last year, costing victims over $70 million, according to the FBI. Criminals are using tactics like fake job offers and AI-generated text messages to steal personal information and money. Senior consumer investigative correspondent Anna Werner shares tips on how to avoid falling victim to these scams.
It's more important than ever to scrutinize what you see online. These three tips from CBS News Confirmed will help you know what to trust.
Receiving a product in the mail you didn't order can indicate a scam, consumer advocates warn. Here's what to know.
ChatGPT developer OpenAI warns that state actors worldwide use generative artificial intelligence to run covert propaganda operations. The company told The Washington Post it found groups in Russia, China, Iran and Israel using its technology to build and launch social media campaigns. Gerrit De Vynck, tech reporter for The Post, joins CBS News to discuss.
A joint investigation by Digital Citizens Alliance and Coalition for a Safer Web found dozens of TikTok profiles offering to ship weight loss drugs for lower prices and without a prescription. In nearly every situation, it was a scam.
Scams targeting people over 60 are on the rise in the U.S., with $3.4 billion being stolen just last year, according to a new FBI report. Nicole Sganga reports.
Reports of elder fraud crimes increased by 14% in 2023, according to a new federal report.
Local and federal authorities face challenges in investigating and prosecuting romance scammers because the scammers are often based overseas. Jim Axelrod explains.
A growing form of fraud is posing physical, emotional, and financial threats to everyday Americans. Jim Axelrod reports on a romance scam turned tragic -- when a widow was swindled out of her life savings.
A widow looking for love was scammed out of $1.5 million before her tragic death. Her daughter is now on a mission to share her mom's story, hoping it spurs change.
Laura Kowal was looking for love online and ended up being conned out of $1.5 million before her mysterious death. A year-long CBS News investigation found that experts believe law enforcement isn't keeping pace with romance scammers like the ones who victimized Kowal. Correspondent Jim Axelrod reports the first of a four-part series, "Anything for Love," a look inside the nation's romance scam epidemic. [Don't miss Part 2 of the investigative series "Anything for Love" on the "CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell," Monday, April 22.]
"Their job is to protect our investments," said one man whose bank account was drained of $15,000. "Otherwise, what's the point of putting it with a bank?"
Rip-off artists often use the same phrases to sow confusion and induce panic among their victims. Here's what to watch out for.
Liza Likins lost more than $1 million in a romance scam to a man she met online. The photo she initially fell for was not what it seemed.
The Federal Trade Commission is warning of online scammers, including so-called "romance scams." Some 70,000 reported "romance scams" in 2022 resulted in losses worth $1.3 billion, according to the FTC. CNET senior writer Bree Fowler joins CBS News to discuss how you can stay safe.
More people on dating apps are being targeted by scammers using bots and artificial intelligence, according to experts.
Are you looking for love online? National consumer correspondent Ash-har Quraishi reveals the warning signs of some common dating app scams and how to avoid falling for a chatbot.
Incomm's prepaid cards had "insufficient" security features that made them targets for card draining scams, a lawsuit alleges.
Ronald Glen "Big Baby" Davis and Will Bynum were among those convicted of healthcare fraud and wire fraud conspiracy.
Online scammers known as "phantom hackers" who operate as fake tech support specialists are targeting older adults, sometimes bilking them out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. One Navy veteran lost $800,000 to such a scam. Jeff Pegues has his story.
The warning about scams comes as sales have boomed for Ozempic, Wegovy and other drugs used for weight loss.
Lead-generation firms trick consumers into accepting billions of illegal robocalls, regulators said in announcing new crackdown.
Scammers can use software to recreate a loved one's voice and make it sound like they're in distress. They then ask for large sums of money.
The Better Business Bureau is warning Prime Day shoppers to be on the lookout for phishing schemes, fake websites and other scams.
The Fed's decision will lower borrowing costs from a 23-year high as the central bank pivots to shoring up economic growth.
Lebanese officials say more handheld devices exploded a day after thousands of pagers carried by Hezbollah members blew up in an attack blamed on Israel.
Sean "Diddy" Combs was denied bail after pleading not guilty to sex trafficking and other federal charges in New York.
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against the owner and operator of the container ship that rammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, seeking $100 million in damages.
The fabricated story was created by the Kremlin-aligned Storm-1516, one of several disinformation efforts targeting the Harris-Walz campaign, a new report says.
The latest Cancer Progress Report from the American Association for Cancer Research also found a 24% decline in the overall cancer death rate for children and adolescents.
The House is voting Wednesday on a government funding measure with less than two weeks before a possible government shutdown.
Vermont State Police identified the victims as Brian Crossman, 46, Erica Crossman, 41, and her 13-year-old son, Colin Taft.
The online system bypasses the traditional method that required printing out a form and mailing a check.
The Fed's decision will lower borrowing costs from a 23-year high as the central bank pivots to shoring up economic growth.
NASA's "Hidden Figures," whose work helped put men on the moon, are set to be honored Wednesday in a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear issued an executive order to ban "conversion therapy," a discredited practice that attempts to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
Sean "Diddy" Combs was denied bail after pleading not guilty to sex trafficking and other federal charges in New York.
In April, Sawyer McCarthy sang the national anthem at a Columbia Fireflies game, reaching millions of viewers — not only in America but around the world.
The Fed's decision will lower borrowing costs from a 23-year high as the central bank pivots to shoring up economic growth.
Inflation is a top issue for voters heading into 2024 presidential election. Here's what we know about Harris and Trump's views on combating high prices for Americans.
Detroit automaker's U.S. customers will be able to buy GM-approved NACS DC adapter through vehicle brand's mobile apps.
If travel is about the journey as much as the destination, fly through this airport for a more satisfying trip.
As the cost of homeownership increases, more young adults are turning to co-buying homes with friends or moving into multi-generational households.
NASA's "Hidden Figures," whose work helped put men on the moon, are set to be honored Wednesday in a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony.
Inflation is a top issue for voters heading into 2024 presidential election. Here's what we know about Harris and Trump's views on combating high prices for Americans.
The fabricated story was created by the Kremlin-aligned Storm-1516, one of several disinformation efforts targeting the Harris-Walz campaign, a new report says.
The online system bypasses the traditional method that required printing out a form and mailing a check.
The House is voting Wednesday on a government funding measure with less than two weeks before a possible government shutdown.
The latest Cancer Progress Report from the American Association for Cancer Research also found a 24% decline in the overall cancer death rate for children and adolescents.
In a new study, researchers found Black women are at higher risk of dying from all tumor subtypes of breast cancer, with the disparity ranging from 17% to 50%.
The function is not a diagnostic tool, but can tell watch-wearers if they are exhibiting signs of sleep apnea.
The new white paper is the most comprehensive look at 988's data to date.
One rural North Carolina county is on track to be among the first where a hospital reopens owing to a new federal hospital classification meant to help save small, struggling facilities.
The German tourist was sailing in a British catamaran in the Atlantic when the shark struck.
The online system bypasses the traditional method that required printing out a form and mailing a check.
Lebanese officials say more handheld devices exploded a day after thousands of pagers carried by Hezbollah members blew up in an attack blamed on Israel.
Australian police swooped in to arrest a man they say built a messaging app marketed as "unhackable" to the criminal underworld, but which clearly was not.
Frenchman Jean-Pierre Marechal has told a court that Dominique Pelicot supplied him with tranquilisers and convinced him to abuse his own wife.
Sean "Diddy" Combs was denied bail after pleading not guilty to sex trafficking and other federal charges in New York.
Oscar-nominated actor Brian Tyree Henry told "CBS Mornings" he often feels villains are misunderstood, which is why his role in "Transformers One" was important to him.
Oscar, Emmy and Tony nominee Brian Tyree Henry opens up about voicing young Megatron in "Transformers One" and shares his thoughts on villains.
Sportswriter Joe Posnanski discusses his new book, "Why We Love Football," where he explores 100 unforgettable moments in football history, including David Tyree's legendary "Helmet Catch."
The "Jimmy Carter 100" concert will be aired in full on Georgia Public Broadcasting on Oct. 1, Carter's birthday.
Guardrails on U.S. roads are typically tested against vehicles weighing up to 5,000 lbs. However, many electric vehicles weigh up to 30% more than that, raising safety concerns on whether guardrails would hold up in a collision.
Instagram's parent company, Meta, launched their new Teen Accounts that offers a more limited experience for the platform's younger users to address concerns over social media's impact on kids. Everyone under the age of 16 will automatically migrate to the new service. Dr. Joel Stoddard, associate psychiatry professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, joins CBS News to discuss.
From labor shortages to environmental impacts, farmers are looking to AI to help revolutionize the agriculture industry. One California startup, Farm-ng, is tapping into the power of AI and robotics to perform a wide range of tasks, including seeding, weeding and harvesting.
Instagram announced Tuesday that it will be rolling out new protected accounts for people under 18. The accounts will automatically be private and can only receive messages from people they follow. Jo Ling Kent spoke with parents and Meta's safety chief about the changes.
AT&T failed to ensure that a third-party vendor adequately protected the telecom carrier's customers, regulators say.
The September Harvest Moon will see a partial lunar eclipse, peaking the night of Tuesday, Sept. 17.
The cost of insuring your home is going up, and some homes are "essentially uninsurable" due to rising climate change risks. In Nebraska, the most expensive state for premiums, the cost is nearly $3,400 above the national average to insure a home. And it's all happening as extreme weather events increase in frequency and intensity, jeopardizing people's homes and their ability to financially recover afterward.
A tsunami stemming from a landslide was behind a surprising seismic event last year that shook the earth for nine days, researchers said.
The spacewalkers tested new SpaceX-designed pressure suits that could eventually be used by civilian astronauts on the moon and Mars.
Record-high temperatures have hit several areas of California, Arizona and Oregon since Friday, extending the fire season and creating drier conditions that make wildfires spread faster. The Line Fire in Southern California has grown past 21,000 acres, roughly half the size of Washington, D.C. CBS News senior national and environmental correspondent Ben Tracy reports.
Sean "Diddy" Combs' lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, is appealing a federal judge's decision to hold the music mogul without bail. Agnifilo's appeal motion argues Combs has been cooperating with the case. CBS News' Jericka Duncan reports.
Sean "Diddy" Combs was denied bail after pleading not guilty to sex trafficking and other federal charges in New York.
Vermont State Police identified the victims as Brian Crossman, 46, Erica Crossman, 41, and her 13-year-old son, Colin Taft.
Australian police swooped in to arrest a man they say built a messaging app marketed as "unhackable" to the criminal underworld, but which clearly was not.
Frenchman Jean-Pierre Marechal has told a court that Dominique Pelicot supplied him with tranquilisers and convinced him to abuse his own wife.
The September Harvest Moon will see a partial lunar eclipse, peaking the night of Tuesday, Sept. 17.
Four SpaceX astronauts safely splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday. The Polaris Dawn crew completed the first-ever commercial spacewalk during their historic mission and tested a new type of spacesuit.
The groundbreaking commercial space mission known as Polaris Dawn successfully splashed down early Sunday morning. The historic five-day mission, flown by tech billionaire Jared Isaacman and three crew mates, included the first ever commercial spacewalk.
Splashdown northwest of Key West, Florida, closed out a mission highlighted by the first non-government civilian spacewalk.
Astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and pilot Sunita Williams look ahead to a productive science mission.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Live performances are in full swing this summer. Scroll through our concert gallery, featuring pictures by CBS News photojournalist Jake Barlow and photographers Ed Spinelli and Kirstine Walton.
The seesaw marriage between the former ballerina and her much older husband only lasted four years, until she shot him on Sept. 27, 2020.
A look at the evidence in "The Dexter Killer" case; plus, newly revealed letters from the man police say wanted to be like fictional serial killer Dexter Morgan.
A teenager's murder in Lowell, Massachusetts, goes unsolved for more than 40 years -- were the clues there all along?
The Federal Reserve has announced a cut to interest rates by 0.50 percentage points. This is the first cut to its benchmark interest rate since March 2020. CBS News business analyst Jill Schlesinger and Al Root, an associate editor at Barron's, break down the news.
Former President Donald Trump is campaigning in New York's Nassau County, a Republican stronghold in a blue state. CBS News campaign reporter Libby Cathey breaks down why Trump's stop in New York is significant.
Sean "Diddy" Combs' lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, is appealing a federal judge's decision to hold the music mogul without bail. Agnifilo's appeal motion argues Combs has been cooperating with the case. CBS News' Jericka Duncan reports.
The Federal Reserve is expected to announce the first interest rate cut since 2020. CBS News business analyst Jill Schlesinger breaks down what economists predict may occur during today's announcement.
Convicted fraudster Anna Sorokin made her debut on "Dancing with the Stars" Tuesday night with a sparkling accessory: her decorated ankle monitor. Sorokin was convicted in 2019 of theft of services and grand larceny after she pretended to be a wealthy socialite named Anna Delvey.