Rod J. Spurgeon

Smishing (SMS phishing) has become one of the most common fraud delivery methods of 2026. It arrives in the most trusted channel most people have: their personal phone number, via text message. AI has transformed smishing from a mass-broadcast spam operation into a precision tool. Scammers now craft personalized messages that reference your name, your carrier, your recent order history, or your…

A window appears on your computer screen: “WARNING: Your computer has been compromised. Call Microsoft Support immediately.” There’s a phone number. There are flashing graphics. Your computer may even be making an alarming sound. The message looks completely official. Call the number, and a helpful, professional-sounding person walks you through a “fix.” They may ask you to install remote access…

You’ve heard the advice: don’t share your passwords, protect your Social Security number, watch out for suspicious emails. That advice is still valid. But in the AI era, there’s a threat that doesn’t require your passwords or your SSN. It just requires access to your social media. Scammers don’t need to hack you. They just need to watch you. Every photo you post, every location you tag, every…

QR codes are everywhere now such as restaurant menus, parking meters, package delivery notices, event check-ins, and charity donation appeals. They’re convenient, and that convenience is exactly what scammers are exploiting. A QR code is just a link. And a link can go anywhere. Scammers are printing fake QR codes and placing them over legitimate ones on parking pay stations, delivery tracking…

You receive a message on LinkedIn or Indeed. A recruiter has reviewed your profile and thinks you’d be perfect for a remote position with excellent pay. The interview is fast, friendly, and professional. The offer comes quickly. Then they ask for your Social Security number for the background check. There is no job. There never was. Your identity just became a commodity. Job scams have become…

The grandparent scam has existed for years where a caller pretends to be a grandchild in trouble. The grandchild has been arrested, in a hospital, in a foreign country and asks for money urgently. Grandparents, acting out of love and fear, have lost thousands of dollars to this con. AI voice cloning has supercharged it. Now, the voice on the phone genuinely sounds like the grandchild. The…

It’s a Tuesday morning. Your CFO calls with an urgent request: a confidential wire transfer must be completed before close of business. The voice is unmistakably his. The request is unusual, but he says it’s sensitive, “don’t tell anyone else, just get it done.” You process the transfer. The money is gone. The CFO never made that call. An engineering firm called Arup lost $25 million after an…

You see a video of a well-known financial expert explaining a new investment opportunity. The returns are remarkable. Other investors share their success stories. The platform itself looks polished and professional. Everything checks out. Except the expert never said those words. The testimonials are synthetic. The platform is a trap. AI-powered investment scams have become one of the most…

Romance scams have always preyed on one of the most powerful human needs: the desire to be loved. But AI has transformed them from a labor-intensive con into an industrial-scale operation. Where a human scammer could only manage a few fake relationships at a time, AI chatbots can manage hundreds simultaneously, responding at any hour, adapting their tone to match your mood, and remembering every…

For years, spotting a phishing email was relatively straightforward. The grammar was broken. The spelling was off. The sender address looked nothing like a real company. Experts told you: look for the mistakes, and you’ll be safe. Those days are over. Artificial intelligence has eliminated the telltale signs of a fraudulent email. Today’s AI-generated phishing messages are grammatically…

You answer the phone. The voice belongs to your son, your daughter, your grandchild. They’re crying. There’s been an accident. They’re in jail. They need money RIGHT NOW, no time to explain. The urgency is real. The emotion is real. The voice is real. Except it isn’t. It’s a machine. AI voice cloning has become one of the fastest-growing scam threats of 2026. According to the Hiya State of the…

As many are aware, the recent cyberattack on National Public Data gave criminals access to a treasure trove of personally identifiable information for a large number of consumers. Consumer names, addresses, and social security numbers were found on the dark web this summer in connection with the data breach. Your data could very well be in that collection. When news of the breach first blanketed…

Did your bank just text you about a potential fraudulent charge on your account? Chances are, that text is from a scammer who wants to put his thieving hands on your cash. Scammers are highly adaptive to new techniques that can convince targets to provide personal information. With your personal information in hand, thieves can drain your bank account of every last dollar in it. A popular way…

By Greg PierceElderimpact.org Planning for retirement and healthcare expenses is a critical aspect of financial well-being, especially as we aim to reduce dependence on Social Security and Medicare. Building a safety net involves a combination of careful strategies that can help you secure your future. In this article via Own Your Defense, we will explore key steps to create a retirement and…

By Michael Longsdon Does the idea of a recession frighten you? Perhaps you’re nervous about losing your job in Baltimore or taking a cutback in your income. If so, then take steps to recession-proof your life and find a bit of security. Read on for some tips to get you started, courtesy of Own Your Defense.   Create a Budget First, create a household budget, or update the one you have. Make…

Image Courtesy of Pexels By Michael Longsdon Becoming a homeowner is one of the biggest accomplishments of a person’s life. Indeed, according to Forbes, the majority of Americans aspire to own their home. If you’ve finally reached this goal, you don’t want the joy to be impeded by costly repairs and failing systems. Unfortunately, though, this is the reality that many new homeowners encounter.…

Cybersecurity 101 for Seniors

By Michael Longsdon As more and more of our lives move online, we must understand how to protect ourselves from cybercrime. That’s why we’ve put together this cybersecurity 101 course for seniors. In this post, Own Your Defense covers how cybersecurity works, your role in keeping your data safe, and some tips for bolstering your defenses against attacks. What is Cybersecurity? In short,…