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    <channel><title>Consumer Insights</title><description>News, views and insights from the Bitdefender experts</description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/</link><image><url>https://download.bitdefender.com/resources/images/favicon/favicon-32x32.png</url><title>Consumer Insights</title><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/</link></image><generator>Bitdefender Blog</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 16:44:33 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.bitdefender.com/nuxt/api/en-us/rss/hotforsecurity/scam/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><ttl>1800</ttl><item><title>How to protect your small business from buyer scams</title><description><![CDATA[Getting a new order or customer is usually good news, but sometimes a sale isn't what it seems. Small businesses can be targeted with fake payments, overpayment scams, stolen cards, chargeback fraud, and customers who manipulate refunds or delivery disputes.


Key takeaways:

 * Never rely on a payment screenshot or confirmation email. Check your bank or payment account directly.
 * Be suspicious if a buyer overpays and asks you to return the difference.
 * Use your normal payment, shipping, and]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/buyer-scams-small-business</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a8453a98beeea9658028f06</guid><category><![CDATA[Very Small Business]]></category><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><dc:creator>Cristina POPOV</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:48:16 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/How-to-protect-your-small-business-from-buyer-scams.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[Getting a new order or customer is usually good news, but sometimes a sale isn't what it seems. Small businesses can be targeted with fake payments, overpayment scams, stolen cards, chargeback fraud, and customers who manipulate refunds or delivery disputes.


Key takeaways:

 * Never rely on a payment screenshot or confirmation email. Check your bank or payment account directly.
 * Be suspicious if a buyer overpays and asks you to return the difference.
 * Use your normal payment, shipping, and]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Rental scams: How to spot and avoid fake rental listings</title><description><![CDATA[Scammers create fake rental listings for attractive properties, copy legitimate ads, impersonate landlords, and pressure people into paying deposits or sharing personal information.

Some rental scams can be surprisingly hard to spot, even when you visit the apartment in person. In one recent story shared on Reddit, the victim visited the real apartment, attended a legitimate open house, and met the actual owner, and still lost $18,600 to a scammer.

Here's how rental scams work, what to check b]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/rental-scams-fake-rental-listings</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a843c168beeea9658028e8d</guid><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><category><![CDATA[How to]]></category><dc:creator>Cristina POPOV</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 11:07:35 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/Rental-scams-How-to-spot-and-avoid-fake-rental-listings.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[Scammers create fake rental listings for attractive properties, copy legitimate ads, impersonate landlords, and pressure people into paying deposits or sharing personal information.

Some rental scams can be surprisingly hard to spot, even when you visit the apartment in person. In one recent story shared on Reddit, the victim visited the real apartment, attended a legitimate open house, and met the actual owner, and still lost $18,600 to a scammer.

Here's how rental scams work, what to check b]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Authorized vs unauthorized fraud and what it means for your refund rights</title><description><![CDATA[Two victims can lose money to similar scams but face very different refund rules depending on who actually approved the payment. Understanding authorized vs unauthorized fraud helps you describe what happened accurately, dispute the transaction, and act quickly before recovery options narrow.]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/authorized-vs-unauthorized-fraud</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a8423538beeea9658028e6c</guid><category><![CDATA[Finance]]></category><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><dc:creator>Vlad CONSTANTINESCU</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:21:17 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/authorized-unauthorized-fraud.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[Two victims can lose money to similar scams but face very different refund rules depending on who actually approved the payment. Understanding authorized vs unauthorized fraud helps you describe what happened accurately, dispute the transaction, and act quickly before recovery options narrow.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Top Aussie public figures impersonated in investment scams</title><description><![CDATA[ASIC is warning Australians that a quick online search may no longer be enough to verify an investment opportunity, as scammers increasingly use generative AI to create deepfake videos, fake websites and bogus endorsements featuring celebrities and politicians.

New data from Australia's National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) reveals some of the country's most impersonated public figures in online investment scams during the 2026 financial year. Reports to Scamwatch involving these impersonations were]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/top-aussie-public-figures-impersonated-in-investment-scams</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a8309588beeea9658028dba</guid><category><![CDATA[Industry News]]></category><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><dc:creator>Alina BÎZGĂ</dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 13:23:36 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/Top-Aussie-public-figures-impersonated-in-investment-scams.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[ASIC is warning Australians that a quick online search may no longer be enough to verify an investment opportunity, as scammers increasingly use generative AI to create deepfake videos, fake websites and bogus endorsements featuring celebrities and politicians.

New data from Australia's National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) reveals some of the country's most impersonated public figures in online investment scams during the 2026 financial year. Reports to Scamwatch involving these impersonations were]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Fake spa listings defraud customers and hurt real businesses</title><description><![CDATA[Scammers in the US are using the addresses of real spa businesses to create fake online listings, lure customers into booking massages, and convince them to send deposits through PayPal or Zelle.


Key takeaways

 * Scammers are using the addresses of real spas to create convincing fake listings, tricking customers into booking nonexistent services and sending deposits through payment apps.
 * Consumers should verify a spa before booking or paying. Cross-check its address, phone number, website,]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/fake-spa-listings-defraud-customers-and-hurt-real-businesses</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7f09b78beeea9658028cdb</guid><category><![CDATA[Very Small Business]]></category><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><dc:creator>Alina BÎZGĂ</dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 12:33:47 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/Fake-spa-listings-defraud-customers-and-hurt-real-businesses.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[Scammers in the US are using the addresses of real spa businesses to create fake online listings, lure customers into booking massages, and convince them to send deposits through PayPal or Zelle.


Key takeaways

 * Scammers are using the addresses of real spas to create convincing fake listings, tricking customers into booking nonexistent services and sending deposits through payment apps.
 * Consumers should verify a spa before booking or paying. Cross-check its address, phone number, website,]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Police Warning: Your bank is not coming to your house for your card</title><description><![CDATA[Scammers can be frighteningly creative. And while we tend to imagine scams happening behind a phone or laptop screen, they don't always stay there.

Police in Kent, Ohio, are warning the public about a banking scam that can start with a simple text message and end with a stranger showing up at your front door to collect your bank card.


Key takeaways

 * Your bank will not send someone to your home to collect a compromised debit or credit card.
 * Caller ID isn't proof you're speaking with your]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/bank-scam-fraudsters-come-to-your-home</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7da9f88beeea9658028bde</guid><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><dc:creator>Alina BÎZGĂ</dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:52:45 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/Police-Warning-Your-bank-is-not-coming-to-your-house-for-your-card-.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[Scammers can be frighteningly creative. And while we tend to imagine scams happening behind a phone or laptop screen, they don't always stay there.

Police in Kent, Ohio, are warning the public about a banking scam that can start with a simple text message and end with a stranger showing up at your front door to collect your bank card.


Key takeaways

 * Your bank will not send someone to your home to collect a compromised debit or credit card.
 * Caller ID isn't proof you're speaking with your]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>FBI warns student-athletes of ongoing sextortion scams</title><description><![CDATA[The FBI and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are warning student-athletes about cyber-enabled sexual exploitation schemes, saying that athletes' public profiles—and the visibility created by name, image, and likeness (NIL) activities—can make them a target for extortionists.

The joint initiative aims to help athletes recognize the warning signs, report incidents quickly and seek support without fear or shame.


Key takeaways


 * Student-athletes’ public profiles and NIL acti]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/fbi-student-athlete-sextortion-scam</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7c7c4c8beeea9658028b7d</guid><category><![CDATA[Industry News]]></category><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><dc:creator>Filip TRUȚĂ</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2026 14:18:42 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/female-athelete.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[The FBI and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) are warning student-athletes about cyber-enabled sexual exploitation schemes, saying that athletes' public profiles—and the visibility created by name, image, and likeness (NIL) activities—can make them a target for extortionists.

The joint initiative aims to help athletes recognize the warning signs, report incidents quickly and seek support without fear or shame.


Key takeaways


 * Student-athletes’ public profiles and NIL acti]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Bitdefender Labs warns hotels of phishing campaign impersonating guests and Booking.com</title><description><![CDATA[Cybercriminals are increasingly attacking both sides of the hospitality industry. In June, Bitdefender warned about WhatsApp hotel phishing scams targeting travelers, with criminals using stolen or compromised booking information to impersonate hotels and trick guests into making fake payments.

Now, Bitdefender Antispam Lab is seeing new waves of attacks aimed at accommodation providers themselves. Instead of targeting guests, these campaigns impersonate prospective customers and Booking.com no]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/hotel-phishing-booking-com-clickfix-malware</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7a24e88beeea96580289cb</guid><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><category><![CDATA[alert]]></category><dc:creator>Alina BÎZGĂ</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:21:12 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/Bitdefender-Labs-warns-hotels-of-phishing-campaign-impersonating-guests-and-Booking.com.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[Cybercriminals are increasingly attacking both sides of the hospitality industry. In June, Bitdefender warned about WhatsApp hotel phishing scams targeting travelers, with criminals using stolen or compromised booking information to impersonate hotels and trick guests into making fake payments.

Now, Bitdefender Antispam Lab is seeing new waves of attacks aimed at accommodation providers themselves. Instead of targeting guests, these campaigns impersonate prospective customers and Booking.com no]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Crypto impersonation scams and how criminals exploit trusted brands</title><description><![CDATA[A phone call from a cryptocurrency exchange's security team. A text promising free crypto. An urgent warning that someone is trying to access your wallet.

They may look like very different approaches, but investigators and regulators are increasingly drawing attention to the same problem: scammers are borrowing the names and authority of cryptocurrency exchanges, wallet providers and financial regulators to convince people to hand over access to their digital assets.


Key takeaways

 * Crypto ]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/crypto-impersonation-scams-target-investors</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7c55198beeea9658028b43</guid><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><category><![CDATA[Finance]]></category><dc:creator>Alina BÎZGĂ</dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:16:01 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/crypto-scams.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[A phone call from a cryptocurrency exchange's security team. A text promising free crypto. An urgent warning that someone is trying to access your wallet.

They may look like very different approaches, but investigators and regulators are increasingly drawing attention to the same problem: scammers are borrowing the names and authority of cryptocurrency exchanges, wallet providers and financial regulators to convince people to hand over access to their digital assets.


Key takeaways

 * Crypto ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Visiting Barcelona? Spanish authorities warn about fake ticket websites</title><description><![CDATA[Barcelona attracts millions of visitors looking to experience its famous architecture, cultural landmarks, concerts and festivals. But tourists searching online for tickets should be particularly careful where they buy them.

Spanish authorities are warning tourists about fraudulent ticket websites targeting people looking for admission to popular attractions and events in Barcelona and elsewhere in Catalonia.


Key takeaways

 * Tourists in Barcelona are being targeted with fake ticket websites]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/spanish-authorities-warn-about-fake-ticket-websites</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7b3fd08beeea9658028a96</guid><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><dc:creator>Alina BÎZGĂ</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:37:11 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/Visiting-Barcelona-Spanish-authorities-warn-about-fake-ticket-websites.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[Barcelona attracts millions of visitors looking to experience its famous architecture, cultural landmarks, concerts and festivals. But tourists searching online for tickets should be particularly careful where they buy them.

Spanish authorities are warning tourists about fraudulent ticket websites targeting people looking for admission to popular attractions and events in Barcelona and elsewhere in Catalonia.


Key takeaways

 * Tourists in Barcelona are being targeted with fake ticket websites]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Steam gift scams: Why you should never accept one from an unknown user</title><description><![CDATA[Valve warns Steam users not to accept gifts from people they don't know, but the practice remains common enough that the company specifically flags it as a potential source of fraud.]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/steam-gift-scams-why-you-should-never-accept-one-from-an-unknown-user</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7b40a88beeea9658028aa3</guid><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><dc:creator>Silviu STAHIE</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:36:40 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/ChatGPT-Image-Aug-11--2026--06_31_10-PM.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[Valve warns Steam users not to accept gifts from people they don't know, but the practice remains common enough that the company specifically flags it as a potential source of fraud.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Deepfake OnlyFans accounts are scamming fans and putting creators at risk</title><description><![CDATA[A familiar OnlyFans creator appears in your TikTok feed. She looks into the camera, speaks in a recognizable voice and invites you to continue the conversation somewhere more private. Soon, she offers exclusive content in return for a quick payment.

Except the creator never recorded the video, never sent the messages and never received the money.

According to reports, scammers are now stealing creators’ photos and videos, animating still images, cloning voices and building fake social media ac]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/deepfake-onlyfans-account-scam</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7adfcb8beeea9658028a0d</guid><category><![CDATA[Industry News]]></category><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><dc:creator>Filip TRUȚĂ</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 08:47:29 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/deepfake-onlyfans.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[A familiar OnlyFans creator appears in your TikTok feed. She looks into the camera, speaks in a recognizable voice and invites you to continue the conversation somewhere more private. Soon, she offers exclusive content in return for a quick payment.

Except the creator never recorded the video, never sent the messages and never received the money.

According to reports, scammers are now stealing creators’ photos and videos, animating still images, cloning voices and building fake social media ac]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Scam recovery timeline: what to do in the first 10 minutes, hour, day and week</title><description><![CDATA[Scam recovery is a race to stem the loss: the sooner you stop payments, contact the provider, secure accounts and preserve evidence, the more options may remain. This scam recovery timeline shows what to prioritize 10 minutes, an hour, a day and a week your suspicions are piqued.]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/scam-recovery-timeline</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7adf5b8beeea9658028a02</guid><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><category><![CDATA[Finance]]></category><dc:creator>Vlad CONSTANTINESCU</dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 08:41:46 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/scam-recovery-timeline.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[Scam recovery is a race to stem the loss: the sooner you stop payments, contact the provider, secure accounts and preserve evidence, the more options may remain. This scam recovery timeline shows what to prioritize 10 minutes, an hour, a day and a week your suspicions are piqued.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Is that video real? How to spot a deepfake before it fools you</title><description><![CDATA[A familiar face appears in your feed. A celebrity promotes an unbeatable investment. A company executive announces an urgent change. A distressed relative calls asking for money. The person looks right and sounds convincing—but is it real?

Deepfakes are no longer easy to dismiss as clumsy edits. They can imitate a person's face, voice, expressions and mannerisms well enough to lend authenticity to a false message. That makes them useful not only for entertainment and satire, but also for fraud,]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/how-to-detect-fake-video-deepfake</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7996428beeea965802890a</guid><category><![CDATA[How to]]></category><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><dc:creator>Filip TRUȚĂ</dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:03:27 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/header-deepfake-video.jpg" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[A familiar face appears in your feed. A celebrity promotes an unbeatable investment. A company executive announces an urgent change. A distressed relative calls asking for money. The person looks right and sounds convincing—but is it real?

Deepfakes are no longer easy to dismiss as clumsy edits. They can imitate a person's face, voice, expressions and mannerisms well enough to lend authenticity to a false message. That makes them useful not only for entertainment and satire, but also for fraud,]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Census scams: Aussie banks warn Australians to stay alert</title><description><![CDATA[Australia’s 2026 Census takes place on August 11, and scammers may see the nationwide event as an opportunity to impersonate the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Fake calls, texts, websites and even in-person approaches could be used to steal personal or financial information.


Key takeaways

 * The 2026 Australian Census takes place on Aug 11, giving scammers a timely and believable reason to impersonate the ABS or Census workers.
 * The ABS will never ask for your bank or credit card de]]></description><link>https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/census-scams-aussie-banks-alert</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a79d1f68beeea9658028910</guid><category><![CDATA[Scam]]></category><dc:creator>Alina BÎZGĂ</dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:32:41 GMT</pubDate><media:content url="https://blogapp.bitdefender.com/hotforsecurity/content/images/2026/08/census-scams.png" medium="image"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[Australia’s 2026 Census takes place on August 11, and scammers may see the nationwide event as an opportunity to impersonate the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Fake calls, texts, websites and even in-person approaches could be used to steal personal or financial information.


Key takeaways

 * The 2026 Australian Census takes place on Aug 11, giving scammers a timely and believable reason to impersonate the ABS or Census workers.
 * The ABS will never ask for your bank or credit card de]]></content:encoded></item></channel>
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