Global Scam Watch

I saw this post in a group today and it had all sorts of warning signs, the first sign was how vague it was with a comment prompting those interested to contact her, as opposed to getting to the point.

Upon further inspection, the profile belongs to an affiliate promoter using a lure targeting non-profit organizations seeking fundraising assistance. The user profile link points directly to a recruitment landing page for LiveGood, a Florida-based direct-selling multi-level marketing company selling nutritional supplements and paid memberships.

Mechanism of the scheme

Promoters utilize local community Facebook groups to solicit non-profit organizations or volunteers under the guise of offering fundraising assistance. Once individuals express interest, the recruiter pitches participation in the multi-level marketing network rather than providing traditional donations, grants, or official sponsorships. The ultimate goal involves converting non-profit representatives or community members into fee-paying affiliates tasked with recruiting additional members to generate commissions.

Key warning signs

• Inclusion of direct affiliate recruitment links such as livegoodtour•com within the profile biography.
• Vague solicitations posted in local public groups offering unspecified financial or fundraising support.
• Disguising multi-level marketing affiliate sign-ups or product sales schemes as community charity partnerships.

It is truly sad how these individuals take advantage of non-profits

𝗙𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗺 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻

While scrolling Facebook just now, I stumbled across a post from a page called Victor C. Cyber. It was a regular organic post, not a sponsored ad, offering IMEI tracing, real-time location mapping and device recovery support for anyone dealing with a lost or stolen phone. Some of these scam posts run as paid ads, but this one didn't need to. It read as helpful at first glance, but the more I looked at it, the more it matched a scam pattern I've seen play out across other categories of online fraud.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗺 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀

The post targets people who already experienced a real loss, a missing or stolen phone. Fear and urgency are doing most of the persuasive work before any contact even happens. The offer promises specialized tools ordinary people do not have access to, expert tracing, live location mapping and recovery support. Contact is directed away from public comments and into private messages, where there are no witnesses and no public accountability. Once in the DM, the scammer typically requests personal information, an upfront fee, remote access to a device, or account credentials. After payment or access is granted, the promised recovery never materializes, and the victim often loses more than a phone.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁, 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀

This pattern shows up across several well documented scam categories.

Crypto recovery scams follow victims who already lost funds to a cryptocurrency scam. A second scammer poses as a blockchain specialist who can trace and recover the stolen coins, usually for a fee paid before any work begins. The victim is scammed a second time.

Romance scam recovery offers work the same way. After a person loses money to a fake online partner, someone reaches out claiming to be a recovery agent who can get the funds back, again requesting payment upfront.

Hacked account recovery scams target people locked out of Facebook, Instagram or email. A page offers fast restoration of access, then asks for login credentials or a verification code, which is precisely what compromises the account in the first place.

Pet recovery scams follow viral lost pet posts. A stranger claims to have tracking tools or a lead on the animal's location and requests a fee or travel costs before disclosing anything, which never comes.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀

Each version relies on the same psychological setup. The target already suffered a loss, so anxiety is high and judgment is lower. The scammer presents themselves as having insider access or technical tools regular people lack. Moving the conversation to a private channel removes public scrutiny and makes it easier to escalate requests. Payment or access is always requested before any actual help is delivered, and once granted, there is no recourse.

The Lost Phone Tracker post fits this template precisely. IMEI tracing and real-time location mapping are technical sounding terms used to create a sense of specialized capability, the same way blockchain tracing or account verification codes are used in other variants.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲

Genuine phone recovery does not require a stranger's DM. Apple's Find My iPhone and Google's Find My Device are built-in, free tools which can locate, lock or wipe a device remotely. Mobile carriers can suspend service on a lost or stolen phone immediately when contacted directly. Police can take a report using the phone's IMEI number, which can also be used to block the device from being reactivated on Canadian networks. None of these legitimate options ask for payment, login credentials or remote access from an unverified third party.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳

Be skeptical of any account or page offering recovery services through private message, regardless of the type of loss involved, financial, romantic, technical or otherwise. Never send money, personal information or account access to someone who reaches out first. Verify a service independently before engaging, rather than trusting claims made in a post. Report suspicious pages directly to Facebook, and consider warning others in the comments before a post is removed.

Losing a phone, a pet or money to a scam is stressful enough. Recognizing this pattern is the best defence against losing something a second time.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗨𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗺𝘀: 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗙𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗺 𝗜𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱

Fake utility scams have been defrauding victims around the world for years, and a fresh warning out of Greater Sudbury, in Canada, this week is a reminder they are not slowing down. On July 30, 2026, Greater Sudbury Utilities alerted customers after fraudulent emails began circulating claiming an overdue electrical bill balance and demanding payment by Interac e-Transfer within 72 hours under threat of disconnection. The utility stressed it never sends such requests, and customers are urged to call the number on their bill directly if anything seems off.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲

Every utility scam runs on the same fuel: the fear of losing something essential. Electricity in a heat wave. Heat in January. Running water. Internet access. Scammers choose utilities precisely because the threat of losing service feels existential in a way few other threats do, and the 72-hour deadline or the "your power will be disconnected within the hour" phone call is engineered to short-circuit rational thinking. When a person believes they are hours away from losing power, they do not slow down and verify; they act, and getting a victim to act before they think is the entire point of the exercise.

Real utilities do not work this way. Legitimate disconnection for non-payment follows a process of written notices mailed in advance, multiple contact attempts, and regulated timelines consistently running 10 to 30 days minimum. A utility does not send 1 email on a Tuesday afternoon and disconnect your power by Thursday. Recognizing manufactured urgency as a warning sign is the first and most reliable defence against every version of this scam.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗲

Once urgency is established, the scam pivots to the payment demand, and this is where the versions diverge on the surface. The payment processing service will vary depending on your country but scammers tend to use permanent, non reversible services. The email or call instructs the victim to e-Transfer a specific amount to an address looking plausible at a glance.

In the United States, the most common demands involve prepaid gift cards including Visa, Amazon, and Google Play, with the victim instructed to scratch the back, read out the PIN, and confirm payment over the phone, even though no legitimate utility in North America accepts gift cards as payment. Cryptocurrency demands are increasingly common in higher-value utility scams, particularly those targeting small businesses or landlords managing multiple accounts, with scammers walking victims through purchasing Bitcoin or another coin at a kiosk or exchange and transferring it to a provided wallet address in real time. Wire transfers round out the toolkit, with Huntsville Utilities in Alabama issuing a warning this same week about scammers telling customers their service would be cut within minutes unless they arranged an immediate wire transfer to a specific number.

Regardless of the method demanded, the outcome is the same: the money moves instantly and does not come back.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽

When someone receives a suspicious bill notice, many do exactly what seems sensible and search for the utility's contact number to verify, and scammers anticipated this. In May 2026, major US electric utility Evergy warned customers about search terms like "pay Evergy" or "Evergy bill" generating paid ads pointing to fake websites and phone numbers staffed by scammers waiting to collect personal and payment information.

This tactic combines 2 techniques. The first is typosquatting, where fraudsters register domain names closely resembling a legitimate utility's web address with a subtle difference: a transposed letter, an added hyphen, a different domain extension like .net instead of .ca, or a plausible-sounding variation like "bc-hydro-billing•com." Victims who mistype a URL or click a lookalike link land on a site copying the real utility's logo, colours, and layout, and are then prompted to log in or enter payment details going directly to the scammers.

The second technique is SEO poisoning and paid ad abuse, where scammers purchase search engine ad placements or use black-hat SEO tactics to push fake utility sites into the top results. A person searching for their utility's contact number may see the fraudulent site listed above the real one, and the fake site warns of an impending service interruption, offers a customer service number, and staffs it with criminals ready to take credit card information or walk the victim through a gift card payment. The practical defence is straightforward: never search for your utility's contact information during a moment of alarm. Use the number printed on an actual past bill, or type the address you already know directly into the browser bar.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

Not every utility scam leads with a threat. Some lead with money. The rebate or overpayment variant tells victims they are owed a refund: a government energy credit, a billing adjustment, or an overpayment on their account, and to receive it they need to confirm banking details or click a link and log in. In Australia, Scamwatch has flagged fake government energy rebate offers asking for upfront fees to process the return, meaning victims are asked to pay money to receive money never owed to them in the first place.

The rebate scam is particularly effective during periods of genuine government assistance. When real rebate programs exist, and Canada, Australia, the UK, and the US have all run legitimate energy relief programs in recent years, fake versions ride the same wave. A message about an energy rebate arriving during an actual rebate period is far more believable than one arriving at a random time.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀

Some utility scammers skip the phone and the inbox entirely and show up at the front door. Door-to-door utility scammers typically present themselves as representatives of the local utility or an affiliated energy efficiency program, claiming they need to inspect the home, review the customer's current bill, or verify account details.

The ask to see the bill is the critical moment. A real utility bill contains the account number, service address, billing history, and contact details, giving scammers everything needed to convincingly impersonate the customer in future fraud, redirect billing, or access the account. In some versions the visitor claims the homeowner has been overbilled and can receive a credit but needs to provide banking information to process it, while in others they offer free energy audits or government-funded efficiency upgrades, using the visit to case the property or extract personal information under the guise of paperwork.

Legitimate utilities do not make unannounced visits to collect bills or review accounts. Scheduled visits for meter reading, equipment inspection, or upgrades are communicated in advance by mail, and a real utility representative arriving unannounced to discuss billing is not a representative of the utility. Anyone arriving at the door claiming to represent a utility and requesting a bill, banking information, or access to the home should be asked for photo ID with the company name and logo, and the utility should be called directly on the number from a past bill to verify the visit before anything is handed over or discussed.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝘁

Strip away the specific utility name, the country, and the payment method, and every version of this scam runs the same psychological sequence. Credibility comes first, with the email, call, or visitor using the real utility's name and often its logo, referencing the victim's address or account number when available, and data from previous breaches making this personalization increasingly convincing. A threat follows: loss of essential service, disconnection, or an overpayment credit about to expire, always concrete and domestic in a way affecting the home and the people in it. A deadline is then introduced, whether 72 hours, 24 hours, or within the hour, removing the option to think it over, speak to someone else, or verify independently. A resolution is always provided: pay this amount, right now, using this method. The payment method demanded is always irreversible, whether gift cards, e-Transfer, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer, because once the money moves, recovery is nearly impossible.

The reason this works across such different countries and contexts is straightforward: the fear of losing heat, power, or water does not require translation. It is universal. Scammers are not exploiting unusual gullibility; they are exploiting a completely reasonable human response to a specific kind of threat, and they have engineered every version of the scenario to make acting feel safer than waiting.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿

No legitimate utility demands same-day or next-day payment under threat of immediate disconnection, as real disconnection processes take weeks and follow written notice by mail. No legitimate utility accepts gift cards, cryptocurrency, or payment app transfers as a valid payment method. No legitimate utility representative shows up unannounced to review your bill or collect account information.

If a call, email, or visitor triggers any alarm, stop and contact the utility directly using the number on a past bill or the official website typed manually into the browser bar.

𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

If you believe you have been targeted or defrauded, report it to your local police and your country's consumer protection or fraud reporting agency. When in doubt, start with your local police non-emergency line, as they can direct you to the appropriate reporting channels without the risk of ending up in the wrong place online.

A critical word of warning about searching for fraud reporting resources: recovery scammers specifically target people who have already been defrauded, and they use the same typosquatting and SEO poisoning tactics described earlier in this article to intercept victims searching for help. Paid ads and lookalike websites impersonating legitimate government fraud agencies appear at the top of search results specifically to catch people in a vulnerable moment, and their goal is to defraud victims a second time. Going directly to your local police in person or by phone rather than searching online removes the risk of being intercepted entirely.

No legitimate fraud reporting agency charges fees, promises to recover lost funds, or cold-contacts victims offering their services. Anyone doing any of those things is running the next scam.

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This particular scam group is "What's Happening in Dawson Creek" but there are hundreds if not thousands of others out there

𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗼

You have seen it. Someone in your feed posts a block of text declaring they do not give Facebook or Meta permission to use their personal data. A lawyer supposedly advised it. It has been broadcast on TV. A deadline is hours away. If you do not post it, you have consented.

None of it is true.

This hoax has circulated in various forms since 2012. Fact-checkers have debunked every version of it. Meta has confirmed, on multiple occasions, no such policy changes are taking place. Posting a declaration on your timeline has zero legal effect. You agreed to Meta's terms of service when you created your account, and a copy-paste post cannot undo or override those terms.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀.

To "prove" they posted the declaration, most people share it publicly, even if their normal settings are friends-only. Doing so voluntarily opens a profile to anyone on the internet, in the name of protecting privacy. Every person who copies and pastes it also generates more engagement data for the very platform they believe they are pushing back against.

This is not a new phenomenon. In 1897, writer Léo Taxil publicly confessed he had spent 12 years fabricating an elaborate hoax, sustained entirely by manufactured urgency and the willingness of people to repeat claims without verifying them. The Facebook privacy declaration runs on identical fuel.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀:

Go to Settings and Privacy, then Privacy Settings. From there, control who sees your posts, who can look you up, and whether search engines can link to your profile. For Meta AI data controls, go to Settings, then Privacy, then Your Facebook Information. Adjusting those settings does something real. Posting a copied declaration does nothing.

𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗺 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁

Settlement scams are nothing new, and whenever a major class action settlement makes headlines, scammers are quick to take advantage of the attention surrounding it. I previously covered the Facebook privacy settlement scam when the first round of payments was being issued, but with the second round of settlement payments now going out, it is worth revisiting because criminals are once again using the same opportunity to target unsuspecting victims.

Meta's $725 million Facebook privacy settlement has brought a new wave of phishing emails, text messages, and fake websites designed to trick people into believing they need to complete additional steps before receiving their money. Criminals are using real details from the settlement to make their messages appear legitimate, often claiming a payment is waiting but additional verification is required before funds can be released.

The goal is not to help people collect their settlement payment. The goal is to steal personal information, financial details, account credentials, or money directly from victims.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹

The settlement itself is legitimate and stems from the 2018 Cambridge Analytica data sharing scandal, where personal information belonging to millions of Facebook users was improperly shared with a third party.

The first round of settlement payments was distributed during 2025, with eligible claimants receiving an average payment of approximately $30. Around 19 million people submitted valid claims before the August 25, 2023 deadline.

A second distribution began on June 9, 2026, using funds left over from uncashed first round payments. These additional payments average between $4.67 and $7.32 per eligible claimant and are being issued in batches over several weeks.

Only people who submitted a valid claim before August 25, 2023 qualify. No new claims are being accepted, and eligible claimants do not need to submit another application or provide additional information to receive their second payment.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗺 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀

Scammers rely on confusion surrounding legitimate settlements to make their fraud attempts appear believable. Many people may remember hearing about the Facebook settlement but may not remember whether they filed a claim, how payments are distributed, or what information is actually required.

Criminals use this uncertainty to send fake settlement notices claiming a payment is waiting. The message may direct the recipient to a website where they are asked to verify their identity, confirm payment information, or complete a final step before receiving their funds.

One common method is a phishing attack involving a fake settlement payment processing website. These fraudulent websites are designed to look like legitimate payment portals, often using copied logos, branding, and wording from official settlement information.

Instead of processing a payment, the website captures whatever information the victim enters. This may include usernames, passwords, email account credentials, banking information, or other personal details. Once collected, this information can be used to access accounts, commit financial fraud, or launch additional targeted scams.

Other versions of the scam involve claims a processing fee, tax payment, or identity verification charge is required before funds can be released. These advance fee tactics are designed to make victims believe they are one step away from receiving money, while the real objective is to steal information or collect fraudulent payments.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿

The settlement payment itself is not the main target. The information connected to the payment process is what criminals want.

Scammers may attempt to collect:

• Login credentials for email, banking, or other online accounts.
• Personal information used for identity theft.
• Banking details used to access accounts or redirect funds.
• Credit card information used for unauthorized transactions.
• Information used to build a profile for future scams.

A stolen password or piece of personal information can continue to have value long after the original scam attempt. Criminals often combine information collected from different sources to create more convincing fraud attempts in the future.

𝗥𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀 𝗧𝗼 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗙𝗼𝗿

Be suspicious of any message about the Facebook privacy settlement claiming you must:

• Pay a processing fee before receiving your payment.
• Pay taxes before your funds can be released.
• Provide your password, online banking credentials, or account information.
• Submit your full Social Security Number or other sensitive personal details.
• Enter credit card or banking information to verify your identity.
• Click a link to a website asking you to confirm your eligibility or process your payment.
• Act immediately or risk losing your settlement payment.

𝗗𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗱𝗱𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀

One of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming an email is legitimate because the sender address appears official. Email addresses can be spoofed, allowing scammers to make a message appear as though it came from a trusted source.

A sender address alone does not prove a message is authentic. Criminals can manipulate what appears in the "from" field to make phishing emails look convincing, including messages appearing to come from settlement administrators or other organizations involved in the process.

Instead of clicking links contained in emails, text messages, or social media posts, manually enter the official settlement website into your browser and verify information directly.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳

If you receive a message about the Facebook privacy settlement, do not click unexpected links, open attachments, or provide personal information through a message you did not request.

A legitimate settlement administrator will not ask for your passwords, online banking credentials, payment card information, or a fee before issuing funds.

Always verify settlement information by visiting the official website yourself rather than relying on links, phone numbers, or contact information provided in an unsolicited message.

The Facebook privacy settlement is real, but so are the scams surrounding it. Whenever a major settlement makes the news, criminals are already looking for ways to exploit public interest and uncertainty.

A legitimate settlement notice informs you about a payment you are already entitled to receive. It does not require you to pay money, provide passwords, or enter sensitive information into a website sent through an unexpected message.

Before providing any information, stop and verify the source directly. A few seconds spent checking through official channels can prevent your personal information, financial accounts, and online identity from ending up in the hands of scammers.

Follow us for updates on the latest scam trends.

𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝘅 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮

The District of Saanich issued a warning on July 23 about a property tax payment scam involving third parties offering to pay residents' property taxes for them. The pitch varies: a discount, a rewards program, a simplified bill, someone else handling the hassle. None of it is authorized by Saanich, and the district does not permit outside companies or individuals to negotiate reduced payments or special arrangements on a property owner's behalf.

This is not an isolated incident. In June, Kamloops warned residents after a scammer posed as the city's mayor in a text message, falsely claiming a resident had been selected for a property tax discount and requesting a copy of the resident's property tax notice. The pattern shows up well beyond BC too. Missoula County, Montana has fielded reports of letters and phone calls using government terminology and alarmist language to convince recipients their property will be seized if they don't pay by a stated deadline, sometimes citing publicly available property details to appear more legitimate. In Nebraska, the Douglas County treasurer flagged emails claiming unpaid taxes and demanding wire transfer payment, sent from addresses nearly identical to the real treasurer's office except for the domain. San Bernardino County, California has issued similar alerts ahead of its tax billing cycle.

The mechanics differ by region, but the goal is always the same: get you to hand over banking information, a copy of your tax notice, or payment through a channel the municipality never authorized.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸

• A message arrives by text, email, phone call or physical mail, often impersonating a mayor, treasurer or municipal official
• The offer promises a discount, reward, consolidation or convenience in exchange for letting a third party handle your payment
• You are asked to send banking details, credit card information, login credentials, or a copy of your property tax notice
• Payment links are sent through unsolicited text, email or social media
• Urgency and threats of property seizure or penalty are used to pressure quick action

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳

• Pay property taxes only through your municipality's official channels or your financial institution, and confirm payee and folio details match your current tax notice
• No municipality authorizes third parties to negotiate, discount or consolidate your property tax bill
• Never send banking information, credit card details, login credentials or copies of tax notices to unknown parties
• Do not click payment links from unsolicited texts, emails or social media messages
• If a request seems off, call your municipality directly using a number from an official notice or website, not a number provided in the suspicious message

If you believe you have been targeted, save the message or screenshot it, contact your financial institution right away if you've shared financial details, and report the incident to your local police.