The jury duty scam: when a 'deputy' calls about a missed court date
A calm voice claims to be a sheriff's deputy, says you missed jury duty, and threatens arrest unless you pay a fine on the spot. Here's how the scam unfolds.
The CallTracer team
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Trends, scams, and what to watch for.
Phone scam analysis, carrier deep-dives, and product updates from the CallTracer team.
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The Medicare card scam: why the 'new card' call is a lie
A polite voice says your new Medicare card is on the way and just needs to verify your number. Medicare does not call out of the blue — here is how the scam works.
May 13, 2026
4 min read
The CallTracer team
The jury duty scam: when a 'sheriff' calls about a missed summons
A 'sergeant' calls saying you missed jury duty and a bench warrant is on the way. Real courts do not work that way — here is how the scam actually unfolds.
The CallTracer team
Tech support scams: when the browser pop-up is the bait
A frightening browser pop-up tells you to call 'Microsoft Support' right now. The pop-up is fake — but the phone number is real, and the call is the actual scam.
The CallTracer team
The SSN suspension scam: why this call is always a lie
A robotic voice says your Social Security number has been suspended and a warrant is on the way. Social Security numbers cannot be suspended — the whole call is the scam.
The CallTracer team
When scammers spoof your number: handling the angry callbacks
A wave of angry strangers calls because a scammer used your number on their fake caller ID. Here is what is happening — and what you can and cannot do.
The CallTracer team
When your boss texts about an 'urgent favor': the gift card scam
A text claims to be from your CEO asking for a quick gift-card errand. The number is wrong, the meeting is fake, and the codes never come back.
The CallTracer team
The IRS doesn't call: how the back-taxes phone scam works
A composed voice claims to be the IRS, demands back taxes, and threatens arrest within the hour. The real IRS doesn't work that way — here's how the impersonation scam actually unfolds.
The CallTracer team
The recovery scam: when 'we can get your money back' is the next con
After a scam, a calm voice calls offering to recover what you lost — for a small upfront fee. That second call is almost always the same scam, repackaged.
The CallTracer team
Why pressing 1 to opt out of a robocall makes it worse
Pressing 1 to speak to an agent — or 9 to be removed — does the same thing: it tells the dialer you are real. Here is why every button on a robocall is the wrong button.
The CallTracer team
The auto warranty robocall: anatomy of America's most-loathed call
Press 1 for a 'specialist' about your expiring car warranty? Here is what the auto-warranty robocall is actually doing — and why it never quite dies.
The CallTracer team
After the scam call: what to do in the first hour
The hour after you realize you have been scammed matters more than the next ten. Here is a calm, step-by-step playbook for the first 60 minutes.
The CallTracer team