Online scammers didn’t take a holiday in early 2025. The good news: for most of the new tricks, awareness alone stops them cold. This guide breaks down each scam exactly as it appears in the wild, why it works, and the precise steps you can take in seconds to kill it.
Source video (worth sharing with family): New Scams to Watch Out For in 2025 → YouTube
What you see: A text that looks like it’s from a local toll system (e.g., EZ-Pass/FasTrak), claiming unpaid fees and license suspension if you don’t pay.
What’s really happening: The link points to a fake payment page that harvests card details.
One-minute defense: Never pay from a link in a text. If you use toll services, open the official app/site you normally use and check your account there.
What you see: A legit-looking email from the real PayPal domain claiming an address was added or an order is pending, with “support” contacts embedded.
How they pulled it off: Scammers add a gift address to their PayPal and stuff a scam message into the address field—PayPal then sends you a legit notification containing their text.
Tell-tale sign: No actual order or charge in your PayPal account.
One-minute defense: Ignore the email’s contact info. Log into PayPal directly and check Activity. If nothing’s there, it’s a lure—do not install any “remote support” tools.
What you see: A site instructs you to press Win+R, then Ctrl+V, then Enter to “fix” something.
What’s really happening: That sequence pastes a hidden command that silently downloads and runs malware.
One-minute defense: A website should never ask you to run OS commands. Close the page. If you did run it, disconnect from the internet, run AV scans, and change passwords from a clean device.
What you see: A stranger says they mistakenly reported you; to “avoid a ban,” you must message a supposed admin and pay to verify.
Truth: Every major platform reviews reports; honest accounts aren’t banned because someone “clicked wrong.”
One-minute defense: Don’t pay. Don’t DM third-party “admins.” Report the conversation through the platform.
What you see: A Shopify app notification for a high-value order from a nonsense store (e.g., “Help Center”), plus an email asking you to contact a Gmail address for shipping verification.
What’s really happening: There’s no real order or charge—just pressure to start a conversation where they phish you.
One-minute defense: Check your real payment accounts for charges (there won’t be). Don’t email back. Delete and move on.
What you see: Prompts to “connect Google Calendar,” “log in with Steam,” or similar—sometimes via fake live streams/QR codes promising game skins.
Risk: You grant powerful permissions to a fake app, letting scammers tweet as you, access email, or drain game inventories.
One-minute defense: Before authorizing, read permissions carefully and verify you’re granting access to the genuine provider/app you expect. Revoke suspicious app access immediately if you slip.
Variants:
What you see: Impeccable English, branded layouts, even verified social accounts claiming Nvidia/Sony/Logitech sponsorships or podcast invites—then they send a “contract”/“installer” that’s malware.
One-minute defense: Check the from domain (real corporate domains vs free email providers). Decline opening files from cold outreach. Verify via the company’s official channel before engaging.
What you see: A site styled exactly like the real Chrome page, with “helpful” macOS instructions prompting your admin password.
Payload: “Stealer” malware that lifts browser session cookies—attackers log into your accounts without passwords.
One-minute defense: Only update browsers inside the browser (Settings → About) or via your OS app store. If you installed this, log out of all sessions from a safe device and rotate credentials.
Because scammers can trigger legit notifications that include their text (e.g., stuffing a message into a “gift address”). Always verify inside your PayPal account—never via email links.
Disconnect from the internet, run reputable AV/EDR, rotate passwords from a clean device, and invalidate active sessions (email, banking, socials).
Treat it as suspicious. Don’t follow links in the description. Access YouTube Studio directly to check account status.
No—but only authorize if you’re sure it’s the real provider and the permissions make sense. If in doubt, back out and reach the service through your normal bookmark.
It’s a scam. Platforms don’t require cash payments to undo a report.
Yes—if your actual accounts show no charge. They want you to contact them and hand over info.
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