January 15, 2026

📰 The Consumer Cyber Sentinel: Your Digital Defense Report 🛡️

Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026

🚨Top Cybersecurity News (For Everyone)

New scams already spreading locally

The Better Business Bureau in San Angelo, Texas reports several new scam trends circulating in the community, including fake utility and “tech support” calls that pressure residents to pay immediately or risk service cutoffs. These types of tactics are common nationwide and often rely on urgency to trick people into acting without verifying details first. My Fox Zone

Fraud losses continue to rise for U.S. consumers

Federal Trade Commission data show that Americans reported losing more than $12.5 billion in fraud in 2024 — a significant increase from previous years. Investment scams and imposter schemes made up the largest reported losses, with many victims paying via bank transfers or cryptocurrency, which are hard to recover after the fact. FTC

Cybersecurity concerns on consumers’ minds

Recent surveys indicate many people feel cybersecurity is harder to manage than physical security at home, and that newer technologies like AI can make it harder to tell what’s real online. Younger adults report higher engagement with digital scams but may also be overconfident in spotting them. Mastercard

Antivirus "Honor Roll" Released:

The independent testing group AV-Comparatives released its 2025 Summary Report today. If you are looking to refresh your home computer's protection, Avast Free, Bitdefender, and Norton were among the top-rated for stopping "real-world" threats without slowing down your PC. Summary Report Test Results

🎌 Scams & Threats Now Circulating

Here are current scam types being seen in the wild — watch for these patterns:

Fake utility or service calls/texts: Scammers pretend to represent your utility company and demand immediate payment to avoid “termination.” Utilities in several states (notably Pennsylvania) have issued warnings today about fake websites.

How it works: Scammers create a website that looks identical to your local power or water company's login page. When you try to pay your bill, they capture your credit card info and your login credentials. FTC

Tech support imposters: Unsolicited calls or pop-ups claim your device is infected and ask you to pay for “urgent clean-up.” FTC

Gift card pressure scams: Scammers insist you pay with gift cards or share codes to resolve a fake problem or claim a prize. www.pymnts.com

AI-enhanced impersonation calls: Automated voices can now mimic familiar names or businesses to coax you into sharing sensitive info or sending money. JP Morgan

Too-good-to-be-true deals online: Fake online stores, “exclusive discounts,” or cleared-out inventory pages lure shoppers to enter payment details and never deliver goods. Republic Bank

The "Digital Arrest" Phone Call: This terrifying scam is spreading across the U.S. this month. A caller posing as a high-ranking police officer or federal agent tells you that you are under "digital arrest" for money laundering and demands you stay on a video call for hours while they "verify your assets" (steal your money).

How it works: They use intimidation and fake legal documents to keep you too scared to hang up and call the real police. Cybersecurity Center of Excellence

😀 What You Should Do Today

Here are simple steps you can take right now to protect yourself:

Pause before reacting: If a caller, text, or email pressures you to act immediately, stop and verify independently by contacting the official company through a known phone number or website.

Protect your accounts with MFA: Turn on multi-factor authentication (e.g., text codes or app prompts) wherever available, especially for banking and email accounts.

Check your credit reports periodically: Visit the official annual credit report site and review for unfamiliar accounts or hard inquiries.

Update devices and apps: Regular updates patch security holes that scammers and hackers exploit.

Scrutinize deals: If an online offer sounds unrealistically cheap or urgent, take extra time to research the seller and confirm legitimacy before purchasing.

⚓Quick Tip

Before clicking links in unexpected emails or texts, hover over them to preview the real URL and only click if you recognize the destination.

🧑‍🏫Did You Know

Social engineering is "human hacking"—the use of psychological tricks to manipulate you into giving away sensitive information or money. It relies on exploiting human emotions like trust, fear, or urgency rather than breaking into your computer with technical code.