Tired of tense debates about elections, inflation, or cranberry sauce authenticity? This year, give your family and friends something everyone can agree on: fraud is everywhere.
Fraud is more creative than ever — fueled by AI, tricky criminals, social media, and our endless online lives. So here’s your handy guide to fraud trends you can casually drop at the Thanksgiving table or holiday party to stay informed and keep the peace.
- AI Scams: The Deepfake Dinner Guest
Fraudsters are using AI to clone voices, faces, and entire conversations. One company even wired $25 million after an employee got a deepfaked “call” from their CEO.
Tip: If “your bank” calls asking for money, hang up and call the official number yourself. Even if they sound real — they might not be.
- Fake People Are the New Bots
Fraudsters aren’t just stealing identities anymore — they’re creating them. Using pieces of real data mixed with fabricated details, they build synthetic identities that can open accounts, apply for loans, and slowly build credit before disappearing with the money.
It’s one of the fastest-growing forms of financial fraud because the “person” doesn’t actually exist.
Tip: Use identity monitoring and avoid reusing passwords. The less personal info criminals can stitch together, the harder it is for them to create a fake “you.”
- “Push-It” Scams: When you send the money
Scammers talk you into transferring funds (rather than stealing your login). They exploit urgency, fear, or fake “bank” instructions.
Tip: Ask yourself: Would the bank really require me to move money to another account to “protect” me? Call the bank directly.
- The Return of the Phone Scam
“Hi, this is your bank. We noticed unusual activity…” Sound familiar?
Voice phishing (“vishing”) is up — and AI voices make it scarier.
Tip: INB will never ask for your password or PIN over the phone. Ever.
- Fraud Moves Into Apps & Wallets
Fraudsters follow the crowd — and the crowd is now on Venmo, CashApp, digital wallets, and messaging apps.
Tip: Only send money to people you actually know and never share log-ins.
- Password Reuse: The Quiet Killer
Data breaches happen daily. If you reuse passwords, one leak gives scammers access everywhere.
Tip: Use a password manager. It’s 2025 — you deserve better than “Summer2020!” as your go-to login.
- The Comeback Kid: Check Fraud Is Back
Yes, paper checks — those things your grandparents still use for birthdays — have become one of the hottest targets for fraudsters again. Criminals are stealing checks right out of mailboxes, often by targeting blue USPS drop boxes or even postal carriers. They then “wash” the checks (erase ink and rewrite details), or sell the stolen checks on dark-web marketplaces for others to exploit.
Tips: Switch to electronic payments where possible. Review statements regularly and report missing or altered checks immediately. And if you run a business: adopt “positive pay” services from your bank — they verify checks before clearing them.
- Turn On Alerts for Everything
Real-time alerts are one of the easiest ways to catch fraud early — especially with instant payments moving money faster than ever. Banks see cases every day where a customer spots a bad transaction only because an alert hit their phone.
Tip: Enable alerts for debit card activity, large purchases, new-device logins, and password changes. If something shows up that you didn’t do, call INB immediately.
- Beware the “Refund & Reimbursement” Scam
A growing trend in banking fraud: scammers pretend to be from your bank, a retailer, or even “tech support” and insist you’re owed a refund — but accidentally refunded too much. They’ll then pressure you to “send back” the difference via Zelle, wire, or gift cards.
Of course, there was never a real refund… and the money you send is gone for good.
Tip: If someone claims they “over-refunded” you and asks you to send money back, it’s a scam. Hang up, log in to your account, and check for yourself. INB will never ask you to return money via Zelle, wire, or gift cards.
- Multi-Factor Authentication: The $0.00 Fraud Filter
MFA (a code texted to you or generated in an app) blocks the majority of account-takeover attempts — even when a scammer has your password.
Banks constantly see fraud attempts that fail simply because the crook can’t get the customer’s second factor.
Tip: Turn on MFA for online banking, email, password managers, and any financial apps. It’s the single easiest way to shut the door on account takeover.
Why Does Talking About Fraud Make for a Great Dinner Conversation?
- Everyone’s affected — no politics, just real-world stuff.
- You’ll sound impressively informed and slightly heroic.
- Sharing scam-prevention tips might actually protect someone you love.
Conversation Starters That Won’t Start a Fight
“Did you hear about the company that lost $25 million to a fake CEO voice?”
“You know what’s scarier than politics? Deepfakes calling your grandma.”
“I started using a password manager — highly recommend. My old one was basically ‘password123.’”
“So… what’s everyone’s weirdest spam text lately?”
“You think AI scams are bad? People are literally washing checks again like it’s 1995 — and it’s working.”
Moral of the story:
Fraud is getting smarter — but so can we.
And if it saves your friends and family from another political showdown, that’s a win for everyone!