Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson recently appeared on Fox & Friends to raise awareness about a troubling new scam that leverages artificial intelligence to clone the voices of loved ones. Using this technology, criminals are able to impersonate family members or close friends with uncanny accuracy, tricking unsuspecting victims into sending money. This alarming development adds a sophisticated layer to an already pervasive problem: financial scams targeting vulnerable individuals, particularly women undergoing significant life changes such as widowhood or divorce.
As International Women’s Day celebrates empowerment, independence, and resilience, it is important to acknowledge a harsh reality that is often overlooked. Women facing major life transitions frequently become prime targets for scammers who exploit their emotional and financial vulnerabilities. One poignant example shared during an interview with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) involved a woman who lost her husband and subsequently turned to online dating. She described how a man’s photos appeared on a dating site — not glamorous like a Hollywood star, but resembling her late husband enough to create a sense of familiarity. This story is not about victim carelessness but about how scammers meticulously identify and engage potential targets with deeply personal and believable narratives.
Romance scams, which often evolve into investment frauds, are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Scammers build trust gradually through online conversations before introducing fake financial opportunities. What makes these scams particularly dangerous is that the initial targeting is rarely random; it often begins with data. When a person experiences life-altering events like the death of a spouse or a divorce, certain personal information frequently becomes publicly accessible or is collected by commercial data brokers. These brokers aggregate data such as names, addresses, property ownership, phone numbers, and even inferred life changes like “recently widowed” or “newly single homeowner.” Though intended primarily for advertising, this data can be misused by criminals to create targeted lists of potential victims.
One of the most common sources scammers exploit is obituary notices. While these public records honor loved ones, they inadvertently reveal sensitive personal details. Scammers scrape obituary websites and cross-reference the information with people-search databases to quickly identify surviving spouses, locate their addresses, and find contact information. Armed with this knowledge, scammers craft personalized messages that appear authentic because they reflect recent, significant life events.
A particularly alarming trend is the rise of “pig butchering” scams — lengthy romance schemes that ultimately transition into fraudulent investment pitches. Widows and divorced women are disproportionally targeted in these scams because scammers assume these individuals may be managing finances independently and might be seeking companionship or financial security. Using publicly available data, scammers tailor their approach to exploit these vulnerabilities.
Another sophisticated scam involves fraudsters impersonating financial advisors or investment professionals. These scammers often reference accurate personal details gleaned from data brokers, making their outreach seem legitimate. They may even create fake websites, LinkedIn profiles, and professional credentials to reinforce their credibility. Women managing retirement assets alone, especially after losing a spouse, are frequently approached with “exclusive” investment opportunities or urgent warnings about financial risks. The key to their success is access to detailed and accurate personal information, which helps create convincing and personalized scams.
The more personal information that is publicly accessible online, the easier it becomes for scammers to fabricate believable stories. Data broker profiles can include a wide array of details such as full name, date of birth, addresses, phone numbers, household income estimates, property ownership, and marital status. When combined with obituary data or court filings, scammers can infer major life changes without resorting to illegal hacking—they simply use searchable, publicly available information. Therefore, reducing how much personal data is exposed online is a crucial step in lowering the risk of becoming a scam target.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, the message of empowerment extends to protecting financial independence. One of the most effective ways to safeguard yourself is by removing your personal data from people-search websites and data brokers. Hundreds of such sites exist, each with its own opt-out procedures, but many will relist your data over time. Nonetheless, minimizing your online footprint makes it significantly harder for scammers to build detailed profiles about you.
January is often considered the best time to begin this process. Start by searching your name on major people-search websites and carefully reviewing what personal information is publicly visible. Most sites provide instructions on how to request removal of your data. While no method guarantees complete erasure from the internet, using professional data removal services is a smart investment in your privacy. These services actively monitor and systematically remove your personal information from hundreds of websites, providing