05/23/2025
Scammers Busy with Tariff Trickery
Scammers must drink gallons of coffee, as they're always hard at work inventing new scams. This time, it's tariff-related trickery. Here's how to ID these quickly (and don't forget to warn your clients and colleagues).
Fake government emails. Some scammers create websites that incorporate phrases like U.S. Customs or Tariffs and send official-looking emails with fake tariff bills. You can identify these scams easily by checking the website. Only legit government sites end with .gov. Also, consumers are never billed for tariffs.
Fake shipments. Scammers have taken one of their favorite strategies, which is impersonating a major shipping company, and added a tariff scam. You may receive an email or text claiming that your package is on hold because you owe a tariff fee. These are easy to check, as you can go to the shipper's website and enter the tracking information. Scammer-provided tracking numbers won't be found.
Factory shopping. You may see a social media post or email from someone claiming to sell tariff-free goods from overseas. These scammers especially love TikTok. While you may actually receive your order, items will be counterfeit and poor quality. This scam proves the adage "if it looks too good to be true, it probably isn't".
Fake tariff relief payments. Scammers have decided to use our memories of pandemic stimulus checks for a new scam. They pretend to be managing tariff relief payments to help with higher prices. When someone attempts to claim a payment, they're taken to a phishing site that demands way too much personal information.
