A new "CAPTCHA" malware trick is circulating — fake verification screens that tell you to run keyboard commands — while summer travel scams keep spreading.

In June 2026 the FTC warned about a new phishing trick disguised as a CAPTCHA: an unexpected "verification" screen tells you to type a series of commands — something like "Windows + R," then "Ctrl + V," and then "Enter." It may say "security verification," but those steps actually paste and run hidden malware on your device. The FTC notes a real CAPTCHA never asks you to run commands. Imposter scams also remain in the spotlight — including scammers posing as the FTC itself (even texting a fake "photo ID" to seem real) and "missed jury duty" warrant-threat calls.

Summer travel reliably draws travel, vacation-rental, and ticket scams every year — a recurring, sourced pattern, labeled here as a seasonal factor. The FTC warns that travel scams crop up in paid search ads that place a scammer's number alongside a well-known brand, or link to a site that only looks like a real hotel or airline. Reports to the FTC tied to travel, vacations, and timeshares topped 64,000 in 2025.