Scams going around: October 2026
Updated October 9, 2026 · We update this page every month.
What scammers are sending right now, what it looks like, and what to do. Every example below is made up - the web addresses use .example, which can never be a real website.
Phone calls · Texts · Email
Fake police, courts and government officials
Someone claiming to be a police officer, U.S. Marshal, court or agency says you missed jury duty, owe a court fine, have a warrant out, or are about to lose your driver's license. They push you to pay right away - and to keep it secret from your family and bank. Some now follow up with an official-looking "warrant" by text or email, a QR code to "pay your fine", or even a video call with someone in a fake uniform. The FBI received nearly 61,000 reports of these scams from January 2025 to July 2026, with more than $1.6 billion lost.
Red flags
- Police, courts and government agencies don't call or text to demand payment - ever.
- Payment by gift card, cryptocurrency, a crypto ATM, wire transfer, payment app or a courier who picks up cash.
- Being told not to tell anyone, or to stay on the phone.
- A caller ID that shows a real agency's name or number - it can be faked.
What to do
- Hang up or don't reply. Look up the agency's number yourself (not the one in the message) and ask them.
- Already paid? Contact your bank or the gift card company right away, then report it at ic3.gov and ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Got a message like this? Check the text or check the link.
Sources: FBI IC3, September 2026 · FTC, June 2026 · New Hampshire DOJ, April 2026
Social media · Email · Phone · Video calls
"We recovered your money"
This one targets people who have already lost money to a scam. Someone posing as the FBI, its Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a lawyer or a "recovery service" says your lost money has been found - you just need to pay a fee, prove your identity, or click a link to claim it. They may reach out on Facebook or Telegram, send a convincing website, or even appear on an AI-generated video call.
Red flags
- Anyone saying they've recovered your money. IC3 never contacts people to say funds were recovered, and doesn't recover money through social media.
- A fee, tax or "release payment" before you get your money back.
- A government agency reaching out first on Facebook, Telegram, WhatsApp or by text.
What to do
- Don't reply, click or pay. To reach the real IC3, type
ic3.govyourself - don't use search ads or links in messages. - If someone you know was scammed before, give them a heads-up - they're the ones being targeted.
Got a message like this? Check the text or check the link.
Source: FBI IC3, July 2026
Search ads · Phone calls · Fake websites
Medicare and health insurance enrollment
Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, and Marketplace enrollment follows. Scammers and dishonest sellers buy search ads that sit at the top of the results, using look-alike addresses and official-looking logos so you think you've reached Medicare.gov or HealthCare.gov. Calling the number or signing up there can land you in a "plan" that isn't real health insurance, or hand your Medicare number to identity thieves.
Red flags
- A small "Ad" or "Sponsored" label next to the result.
- A web address that isn't exactly
medicare.govorhealthcare.gov- look for the.govending. - Promises of free gifts, cash cards or $0 premiums for signing up today.
- Anyone calling you out of the blue about your Medicare plan or asking for your Medicare number.
What to do
- Type the address yourself:
medicare.gov(or call 800-633-4227) andhealthcare.gov(or call 800-318-2596). - For free, unbiased help comparing plans, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
Not sure about a site? Check the link.
Sources: FTC, September 2026 · Medicare.gov
QR codes · Parking meters · Packages · Texts
Fake QR codes
Scammers are sticking their own QR codes over the real ones on parking meters and pay stations. Scan it and you land on a fake payment page that takes your card details. QR codes are also showing up in notes inside unexpected packages, and in fake court and toll texts - because a QR code hides where it leads.
Red flags
- A sticker that looks raised, crooked or newer than the sign under it - or two different codes on one meter.
- A link preview with misspellings, extra words or an address that isn't the city's or the parking company's.
- A QR code in a text or email asking you to pay or "verify".
What to do
- Pay at the meter or through the parking company's official app, which you download from your app store.
- Already scanned and paid? Check your card statements, tell your bank, and change any password you typed in.
Got a QR code in an email? Save the email and check the file - TrustThisEmail reads QR codes and checks where they lead.
Sources: FTC, September 2026 · FTC, August 2026
Texts · Email · Your doorstep
Packages "on hold" and surprise packages
Fake delivery texts and emails pretending to be USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL or Amazon are still among the most common scams - they say a package is held for an "incomplete address" or a small fee. Separately, people are receiving packages they never ordered (a "brushing" scam, used to post fake reviews in your name). Some include a note with a QR code that leads to a page asking for your card or login.
Red flags
- A carrier asking for a fee, your card number or your address details through a link.
- A web address that starts with the carrier's name but isn't their real site (like
usps.com-redelivery…). - A package you didn't order - especially with a QR code to "confirm" or "review".
What to do
- Track packages by typing the carrier's address yourself or using their app, with the tracking number from the store where you ordered.
- Got a surprise package? You don't have to pay for it or send it back. Don't scan any code inside, change your shopping account passwords, and report the seller to the marketplace.
Got a delivery text? Check the link (press and hold it, then Copy Link - don't tap it).
Sources: FTC, August 2026 · Twilio fraud update, September 2026
Texts · WhatsApp · Telegram
Job offer texts
A "recruiter" from a company you've heard of offers a work-from-home job - "online assessor", "remote position" - with daily pay but no real details. A newer version doesn't include a link at all; it just asks you to reply "YES" or "INTERESTED". Once you're talking, it turns into a fake check you're asked to send money back from, or "tasks" like rating products that eventually require you to deposit your own money.
Red flags
- An unexpected job offer by text, WhatsApp or Telegram - real employers don't recruit that way.
- High pay for vague, easy work, or being paid to like, rate or review things.
- Any request to pay, deposit money or send part of a check back.
What to do
- Don't reply - not even "STOP" or "YES". Delete it and report it as junk.
- Looking for work? Apply through the company's own careers page, which you find yourself.
Got a message like this? Check the text.
Source: FTC, April 2026
Report a scam
Reporting helps stop scams and warn others: ReportFraud.ftc.gov for most scams, ic3.gov for internet crime, and forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM) to alert your phone carrier.
Past editions
This is our first edition. Past months will be listed here.