In this issue:

• Subscription renewal scams

• New Year health scams

• Data breaches this week

Subscription renewal scams

I'm not sure how many digital and streaming subscriptions we have, but it's a lot. I know we have Disney+, Paramount, YouTube, Netflix, and my family could list at least five more.

January has become prime time for a specific kind of scam that preys on distraction, financial fatigue, and the chaos that follows the holidays. After weeks of gift buying, travel, and temporary subscriptions, many people are less certain about what they signed up for. Scammers know this and are taking advantage of it.

The result is what I call the post-holiday subscription scam.

How the scam works: You receive an email claiming there was a failed renewal, an unauthorized charge, or a payment problem with a service you recognize. The messages often appear to come from familiar brands like Netflix, Amazon, or Disney+. The logos, colors, and wording look convincing. Some even include a partial credit card number or a fake invoice ID to add legitimacy.

The email urges you to act quickly. There is usually a prominent button that says “Update Payment” or “Review Charge.”

That button is the trap.

When clicked, it leads to a fake website designed to look identical to the real service. Any credit card or login information entered there goes directly to scammers.

The timing is intentional. Many people really do sign up for short-term or seasonal services during the holidays. In my own house, I love Hallmark Christmas movies, so this year my husband subscribed to Hallmark just for me. That kind of thoughtful gift is exactly what makes January confusing. By the time renewal emails start arriving, it can be hard to remember which subscriptions are legitimate and which are not.

Scammers rely on that uncertainty and the natural instinct to resolve a billing issue quickly.

Never click a link in a billing or renewal email.

If you are concerned about a charge, open a new browser window and type the company’s website address yourself. Log in directly and check your account status there. If there is a real problem, it will appear in your account dashboard.

January is a reset month for many things, including finances. A few extra seconds of caution can keep a simple email from turning into a costly mistake.

New Year health scams

Every January, myself and millions of people set personal goals to lose weight, get healthier, or simply feel better than they did the year before.

Scammers know this. And they are increasingly exploiting that motivation with fake health endorsements for pills, powders, drops, and miracle cures that promise fast results with almost no effort.

These scams often appear as slick videos on Instagram or Facebook. They look polished, professional, and emotionally convincing. A well known celebrity appears to share a personal story about struggling with weight or health and discovering a product that changed everything. Comments are filled with glowing testimonials. The video links to a simple checkout page. It all feels authentic.

Until it is not.

I recently fell into this exact trap. I clicked on a video linked from Instagram because I genuinely believed it was Rebel Wilson speaking candidly about her health journey. The video was long, nearly twenty minutes, and it felt personal and unscripted. I watched the entire thing. Only near the end did it become clear that something was off. The voice, expressions, and pacing were just slightly wrong. It was an AI generated video created to sell a completely worthless product.

I did not buy it, so I was lucky. But the experience was unsettling. Even someone who spends a lot of time thinking about online risk can be fooled when the content is well produced and targets an emotional goal like self improvement.

That is the real danger of these health scams. They are not clumsy pop ups or obvious spam emails. They are sophisticated, targeted, and designed to feel supportive and trustworthy. Scammers use AI generated video, cloned voices, and fake news style landing pages to create credibility. They prey on hope and urgency, especially in January when people are most motivated to change.

The products themselves are often useless at best and dangerous at worst. Many are unregulated supplements with vague ingredient lists and exaggerated claims. Some lead to recurring subscription charges that are hard to cancel. Others exist only to collect credit card information.

If you see a health endorsement video on social media, pause before you click or buy. Do not assume a familiar face means it is real. Look for independent reporting, search for the product name outside the platform, and be skeptical of any claim that sounds too easy or too fast.

Wanting to improve your health is not a weakness. But scammers are counting on that motivation. Staying cautious is one of the best self care decisions you can make this year.

Data breaches this week

Most of the time these will be companies that you don’t have any personal data with, but scan the company name to make sure you aren’t affected.

• Gulshan Management Services (Texas gas stations): 377k individuals: 377,000 Impacted by Data Breach at Texas Gas Station Firm

Do you have an idea for a future newsletter? Please reply to this email and let me know.

Thank you so much!

Sincerely,
Cassie Crossley
Founder, Cyber Safe Center
https://www.cybersafecenter.com