Scammers are getting faster, smarter, and more ruthless—and thanks to AI, 2026 may be their most profitable year yet. Here's what to look out for and how to stop scams before they start.

Chen Zhi is charged with turning his business into a front for fraud hubs that stole from people around the world.

Experts say scammers often exploit the professional nature of LinkedIn with job offers that seem legitimate. Here's how to spot them.

The calls come in with voices that soothe or instill fear. They include information as if it is coming from either a banking institution or government entity with the authority that gives the message gravity.

A phone call that sounds like a family member in trouble. A text claiming unpaid tolls. A job offer that appears legitimate but asks for an upfront fee. Federal investigators say these scenarios fueled some of the most reported scams of 2025,

According to the FBI, gold bar and illicit cash scams are on the rise. In a period between 2023 and May 2025, the FBI Boston office said it documented more than 100 cases. Victims in four New England states lost a combined $26 million.

SO AFTER WE WRAPPED UP THE TOP SCAMS OF 2025 LAST WEEK ON YOUR SIDE, CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR BRIAN ROCHE SHOWS US THE TOP SCAMS YOU SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR IN 2026. SO FOLKS, LET’S GET RIGHT TO IT. THESE THREE ARE EXPECTED TO TOP THE LIST OF SCAMS IN 2026.

Deputies said the scam targets family members of inmates in the Buncombe County Detention Facility. According to officials, scammers are calling family members of inmates and claiming that a program called “The Second Chance Program” will allow inmates to bond out and work the program for 60 days before all charges are dropped.

As interest in GLP-1 medication grows, scammers are tricking consumers with fake alternatives. Here's how to spot them.

In 2024, approximately 3,500 scams were reported to the Attorney General's office, which increased to 4,000 last year.