Scammers are using fear and urgency to steal your money. From fake texts to impersonators, here’s how the latest schemes work—and how to protect yourself.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Financial scams are getting more sophisticated — and more personal — costing Americans billions each year.
From fake texts about unpaid tolls to callers posing as your bank or even law enforcement, fraudsters are finding new ways to create panic and pressure people into handing over sensitive information.
The Ask Anthony team sat down with a fraud expert to break down what’s happening right now — and how you can protect yourself.
“A lot of what we’re seeing is people are clicking on links and they’re not paying attention,” said Chuck Meredith, who leads the fraud department at VyStar Credit Union.
In today’s digital world, scams aren’t just suspicious emails anymore. They’re showing up as text messages, phone calls — even in-person visits.
“The panic or the fear gets them first,” Meredith said.
That fear is exactly what scammers are counting on.
One of the most common schemes starts with a message claiming you missed jury duty or have a warrant out for your arrest — and can fix it quickly by paying a fine.
“They read this text that there’s a possible warrant… panic sets in immediately… and it says click this link and you can pay your fine. They go right to it,” Meredith said.
Others are even simpler: messages about unpaid tolls or small charges — often just a few dollars — designed to look harmless.
“It’s usually a small dollar amount… but you just gave your credit card information to a live site that’s going be a lot bigger down the road,” he said.
Then come the phone calls — someone claiming to be from your bank, warning your account is at risk.
“You start giving your information to an unknown person over the phone… it’s like walking up to a stranger and saying, ‘Hey, do you know my social?’” Meredith said.
In some cases, victims are told to move their money into cryptocurrency accounts, where it’s nearly impossible to recover. In a newer twist known as a “concierge scam,” someone offers to help resolve the issue for you — even sending someone to your home.
“They tell you to put your debit card outside… for someone to come pick it up. No legitimate institution is ever going to do that,” Meredith said.
No matter the tactic, it all comes back to one thing: panic.
“Don’t panic when that call hits you. Just stop, think, take notes… and call the number on the back of your card,” he said.
If something does happen, speaking up quickly can make a difference.
“If the members are helping, trying to stay vigilant and telling us when they see things… that whole partnership is going to save a lot of heartache on both sides of the coin,” Meredith said.
You can watch Anthony Austin’s full conversation with VyStar Credit Union’s fraud expert on First Coast News+