Scams

October 1, 2025

Identity Theft Protection Joins 2025’s Top 5 Voluntary Benefits—Here’s What HR Needs to Know

Brian Thompson Employee Benefits, Identity Theft, Scams

Identity Theft Protection Joins 2025’s Top 5 Voluntary Benefits—Here’s What HR Needs to Know Last updated: October 2, 2025 Open-enrollment planning is here, and one benefit keeps showing up on “must-offer” lists: employee identity-theft and cybersecurity protection. HR Executive continues to spotlight it alongside supplemental health, legal plans, and pet insurance in its 5 Key Voluntary Benefits to Watch in 2025. Why the surge? Rising attack volume, blurred home/work boundaries, and employee anxiety. In Q2 2025, organizations faced an average of 1,984 weekly cyberattacks—up 21% year over year and 58% in two years. What you’ll get in this guide: How voluntary-benefit priorities shifted for 2025 The business case HR can share with Finance What to require from a provider Roll-out tips that earn executive buy-in Heads-up: After Section 3 you’ll find a call-out box that links to defend-id’s free ROI Calculator + Incident-Response Checklist (perfect for pre-CFO prep). 1 | […]

September 3, 2025

Google “Breach” Explained: What Really Happened—And 7 Steps to Secure Your Google Account

Brian Thompson Breach, Identity Theft, Scams

The headlines said billions were at risk. However, the truth is much smaller—and more manageable. In this post, you’ll learn what really happened, who might be affected, and how to secure your Google account in just a few minutes. Table of Contents What actually happened Was my Gmail breached? Who’s impacted 7 steps to secure your Google account For company admins Where defend-id fits in What actually happened Hackers attacked a tool called Drift, which connects to Salesforce and Google accounts. They stole “tokens,” or digital keys, that gave them entry to some data. At Google, two things occurred: Hackers took contact details from Google’s Salesforce system that stored Ads prospects. Hackers viewed emails from a very small number of Google Workspace accounts that had linked Drift Email. Google responded quickly. They cut off the Drift integration and secured the accounts. Most importantly, Gmail itself stayed safe. Was my Gmail […]

Feet relaxing on a sunny beach with airplane and sparkles, promoting a summer travel safety checklist by defend-id.

July 2, 2025

How to Avoid Summer Travel Scams in 2025

Brian Thompson Identity Theft, Scams

Summer is a great time to travel, but scammers never take a vacation. Last year, travelers lost over $274 million to summer travel scams. You don’t want your family trip ruined by thieves or fraudsters. Luckily, with simple tips, you can stay safe. Table of Contents Common Scams in 2025 How to Stay Safe Free Travel Safety Checklist Travel Safety FAQs HR Tips: Protecting Employees Conclusion Common Summer Travel Scams in 2025 Scammers use new tricks every year. Here are scams to watch for: Fake QR Codes at Airports Scammers put fake QR code stickers over real ones at airports. If you scan them, they can steal your info. Only scan QR codes from trusted places. Fake Voices Using AI Scammers use computers to copy voices of family or agents. They might call saying someone needs money. Always hang up and call back to confirm. Fake Booking Websites Scammers create […]

Futuristic AI battle illustration showing a face-off between a white AI bot representing fraud prevention and an orange AI bot symbolizing fraudsters, with digital elements and a cyber-themed background.

February 5, 2025

AI in Fraud Prevention: How Artificial Intelligence Fights and Fuels Fraud

Brian Thompson Breach, Identity Theft, Scams

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how companies and people protect themselves from fraud. AI helps find and stop fraud while also giving criminals new ways to trick people. This article explains both sides of AI in fraud prevention in clear, simple language. How AI Helps Criminals Commit Fraud Deepfakes and Fake Identities AI can create deepfakes, which are very realistic videos, audio clips, and images that look real but are fake. Criminals use deepfakes to create fake identities. Example: A fake video of a company leader might trick a business into sending money to a criminal. Here is a fun example (note – this was done 3 years ago, consider how much better and accessible AI is today!): Tobey Maguire instead of Tom Holland in Spider-Man AI-Driven Scams Criminals use AI to create smart scams. They design phishing emails and phone calls that sound very real. These scams make it […]

January 22, 2025

Top Strategies for Protecting Yourself from Tax Fraud in 2025

Brian Thompson Identity Theft, Scams

Tax fraud will be a growing threat in 2025. Check out these strategies for protecting yourself from tax fraud, including early filing, recognizing scams, and securing your data. Tax fraud has become a sophisticated and costly issue affecting millions every year. In 2024 alone, the IRS identified and stopped $2.1 billion in fraudulent tax returns. Protecting yourself in 2025 requires an informed approach to protecting personal and financial data. Below, we’ll look at the types of tax fraud, warning signs, and actionable steps you can take to mitigate risks. Understanding Tax Fraud What Is Tax Fraud? Tax fraud occurs when an individual or organization intentionally falsifies information on tax returns to evade taxes or steal refunds. This can include inflating deductions, underreporting income, or filing false returns using stolen identities. How Tax Identity Theft Works Tax identity theft is a common subset of tax fraud where criminals use stolen personal […]

Black Friday Scam sign surrounded by black gift boxes symbolizing the dangers of online scams during the holiday shopping season.

November 20, 2024

Protect Yourself from Black Friday Scams and Holiday Shopping Identity Theft

Brian Thompson Identity Theft, Scams

Black Friday is coming and that means… SHOPPING! The excitement of finding amazing deals is in full swing. But, this also brings an increase in identity theft and fraud schemes. Cybercriminals are targeting you with scams designed to steal personal and financial information. Check out how to spot these threats and protect yourself from Black Friday scams and holiday shopping identity theft Understanding the Rise in Holiday Scams The shopping chaos during the holidays creates an ideal opportunity for bad guys. They use many tactics to fool distracted shoppers chasing big discounts and limited-time offers. Why Cybercrime Peaks During the Holiday Season High Transaction Volumes: The sheer number of online purchases makes fraudulent transactions harder to detect. Relaxed Vigilance: In the excitement of snagging deals, shoppers may overlook warning signs of scams. Unsecured Connections: Many shoppers use public Wi-Fi, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks. Black Friday Scams to Watch Out […]

A person holding two metallic masks in front of their face, symbolizing identity theft and the disguises used by cybercriminals to steal personal and employee information.

October 24, 2024

Identity Theft Protection for Employees: A Halloween Warning

Brian Thompson Employee Benefits, Identity Theft, Scams

Halloween is almost here. While your employees might pick out costumes and masks, Identity Thieves also plan to disguise themselves. But unlike a Halloween costume, a stolen identity causes real damage, and the effects last long after the candy is gone. As HR directors and business owners, protecting your employees is an obvious concern. A focus on identity theft protection for employees helps ensure bad guys don’t wreak havoc on your team. With identity theft cases rising by over 45%, now is the time to act (source: FTC). The scariest threats this Halloween aren’t the ones knocking at your door—they’re online, hiding behind fake identities. How Identity Thieves Wear Digital Masks: Protecting Employees’ Data On Halloween, we expect strangers to wear masks. But what about those who mask themselves in your employees’ identities? Cybercriminals are experts at stealing credentials. They use these stolen identities to access personal accounts, sensitive information, […]

Devastated neighborhood after a hurricane with debris scattered around, damaged homes, and a prominent 'Beware of Scams' sign warning of fraud targeting disaster victims.

October 3, 2024

Protect Yourself from Post-Hurricane Scams: How to Spot and Avoid Disaster Fraud After Hurricane Helene

Brian Thompson Identity Theft, Scams

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, communities are beginning the long and difficult task of recovery. Sadly, just as the waters recede, the damage is assessed and homes and lives are rebuilt, another wave of disaster is hitting the victims: post-hurricane scams. These fraudulent criminals exploit the chaos and desperation following natural disasters, preying on people who are trying to rebuild their lives. Similar scams have been witnessed after hurricanes like Katrina, Harvey, and Ida, and now we see them again with Helene. Common Post-Hurricane Scams and Crimes 1. Fake Charity Scams After major disasters, fraudulent charities often emerge, posing as organizations that will provide aid to victims. With Hurricane Helene, authorities are already reporting an uptick in these scams, where fraudsters use names resembling well-known charities to solicit donations. Recent Example: Following Hurricane Helene, several fake fundraising efforts have appeared online and through unsolicited phone calls. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued warnings […]