Scam Alert 2025: Don’t Get Tricked, Miami Springs!

Let’s be honest, we’ve all gotten those calls or texts. You accidentally answer, and the second you hear that pause or robotic tone, you can’t help but sigh and roll your eyes: “Here we go again…” Personally, I receive about 3 to 4 of these calls a day, usually from someone insisting I owe taxes, and the number is always from outside the country. It’s unbelievable how advanced these scams have gotten in just the past year. With technology racing forward and AI on the rise, scammers must feel like they’re living in paradise. But here’s the good news: there are ways to protect ourselves. In fact, just last month, I received several scam texts.

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If you’re not paying attention, it’s easy to get yourself in a pickle, and not the good kind you find on a sandwich, but the kind that drains your wallet. So let’s stay alert, Miami Springs, and laugh off these scams instead of falling for them.

Scammers are getting smarter.

Remember the old “Nigerian prince” emails? Back in the early days of the internet, people would get messages from someone claiming to be a wealthy prince (often from Nigeria) who just needed a little help moving his fortune out of the country. The deal was: if you sent him money upfront for “fees” or “taxes,” he’d share millions with you later. Of course, the millions never existed.

Fast forward to today, and the “new Nigerian prince” looks very different. Instead of a clumsy email with broken English, scammers now use AI tools to create ultra-realistic schemes:

• Deepfake voice scams: Criminals can clone the voice of a loved one, like your grandchild or spouse, and call you asking for money because of an “emergency.” It sounds real, and that’s what makes it terrifying.

• Fake IRS or tax calls: These scammers claim you owe money and threaten jail time if you don’t pay immediately. They’ll even spoof official-looking numbers to trick your caller ID.

• Delivery or DMV notices: Texts or emails that appear to be from USPS, FedEx, or the Florida DMV, instructing you to click a link and pay.

The difference? Where the old Nigerian prince scam made you laugh and hit delete, these new scams look so real that they can catch you off guard. That’s why awareness is more critical than ever.

Every year, criminals become increasingly intelligent, persistent, and sophisticated. According to the FBI’s Elder Fraud Report, losses from scams reported by Americans over age 60 jumped 11% in 2023, with thieves stealing more than $3.4 billion. And that number continues to rise.

The Travel Scam Taking Younger People by Storm!

More people are losing money to scams than ever before, and many don’t even realize it until it’s too late. Scammers are taking advantage of our busy digital lives, and they’re becoming increasingly clever with every passing year.

According to a recent McAfee report, younger individuals are now particularly susceptible to travel scams. The numbers are eye-opening:

• 1 in 5 Americans has experienced a travel scam while booking a trip.

• Nearly a quarter (23%) of those who fell victim to the scam lost money.

• 13% lost more than $500, and 5% lost over $1,000.

• Even though 65% of Americans say they research scams before booking, many still fall victim to fake payment sites, malicious “confirmation” links, or misleading listings.

The Calls That Don’t Stop Coming

Just yesterday, I got a call from a “Jenelle Carter” claiming there was an “urgent matter regarding outstanding tax obligations or unfiled returns.” The number? From Turkey.

If you’ve ever answered one of these calls, you know what happens next: the relentless persistence. They don’t just call once; they’ll keep at it, sometimes 3–5 times a week, hoping to wear you down.

The tactics vary, but the goal is always the same: to scare or trick you out of money. Some will say you owe back taxes, others claim you’ve “won a prize” and just need to hand over your credit card number for their records. In the worst cases, scammers escalate to personal threats, even mentioning your family.

It’s easy to feel shaken when you hear those threats; that’s precisely what they want. But here’s the truth: many of these calls are coming from outside the country. They’re not showing up at your doorstep; in fact, most of these scammers are just as scared of getting caught as you are of their words.

👉 If a call ever crosses that line into threats, hang up and report it immediately to local law enforcement or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).

Here are the top scams we’re seeing right now:

1. 📱 Fake Travel Deals: Too-good-to-be-true vacation rentals, airline confirmations with bad links, or fake booking sites stealing your payment info.

2. 🚗 Unpaid Toll Notices: Texts or emails saying you missed a toll with a link to “pay immediately.” Don’t click it. Real toll agencies send official mail.

3. 💳 PayPal Phishing Emails Look legit with logos and phone numbers, but they’re fake. Clicking their link could expose your login information.

4. 💻 “Windows Support” Pop-Ups: A website tells you to run a command on your computer? Stop right there. That’s malware trying to steal your files.

5. 📦 Package Delivery Scams “USPS/UPS/ FedEx: Your package is on hold.” It appears official, but the link redirects to a fake site that requests personal information or payment.

Tips on how to identify a scam

🚩 Red Flags in the Message

1. Sender’s Number

   • The text came from a number with a +90 country code (Turkey!).

   • The real Florida DMV would never send official notices from an international number.

2. Urgent Threats

   • Phrases like “Final Notice” and “Act urgently to prevent these penalties” are meant to scare you into acting without thinking.

   • Real government agencies send official letters by mail, not panic-inducing texts.

3. Strange Penalties Listed

   • “Debt transferred to collection agency (35% surcharge)” and “credit score reduction” are not standard DMV language.

   • Official penalties would be clearly explained, with specific instructions on where to pay — not random percentages.

4. Suspicious Link

   • The link uses cutt.ly, a link-shortening service. Government agencies never use shortened URLs because they hide the real website.

   • A real DMV link would be from a .gov website (e.g., flhsmv.gov).

5. Odd Formatting & Language

   • Inconsistent capitalization and awkward wording (“30-day driving license suspension” instead of “driver license suspension”).

   • Scammers often mimic official language but fail to capture the tone or format correctly.

6. Asking for Immediate Payment

   • Anytime a message says “Pay immediately via [link]” — 🚨 red flag.

   • The DMV would never demand instant payment over text.

7. Reply Instructions

   • Asking you to “Reply Y” is another tactic to confirm your number is active, which can lead to more scam attempts.

✅ Tip: If it feels urgent, threatening, or too good to be true, that’s your red flag.

💛 Reminder from I Love Miami Springs: Share these warnings with friends, neighbors, and family so we can all stay one step ahead.