Story perspectives

Consumer Reports Warns: Phishing Scams Targeting Young Consumers

3/23/2026

Summary

Story summary

Consumer Reports warns of a rise in phishing scams that use fake recall notices for products like kitchen appliances and child car seats.
Taylor Frost Smith, a mother of three, received a suspicious Amazon recall text and confirmed it was a scam after checking with Amazon.
Experts say younger consumers, particularly Gen Z, are increasingly targeted due to their heavy reliance on texting.
Scams peak during tax season, and the IRS is alerting taxpayers to fraudulent communications.
To avoid scams, verify recalls through official channels like recalls.gov or directly on the retailer's website.

1 of 1

Story summary

Consumer Reports warns of a rise in phishing scams that use fake recall notices for products like kitchen appliances and child car seats.
Taylor Frost Smith, a mother of three, received a suspicious Amazon recall text and confirmed it was a scam after checking with Amazon.
Experts say younger consumers, particularly Gen Z, are increasingly targeted due to their heavy reliance on texting.
Scams peak during tax season, and the IRS is alerting taxpayers to fraudulent communications.
To avoid scams, verify recalls through official channels like recalls.gov or directly on the retailer's website.