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How thieves use new credit card numbers before you receive them

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How thieves use new credit card numbers before you receive them

Imagine receiving a notification about suspicious charges on a credit card you haven’t even received yet. How could that happen? 

While it sounds surprising and unsettling, it’s increasingly common due to the rise of digital credit card fraud. Criminals no longer need physical cards to make unauthorized transactions, thanks to methods such as data breaches, phishing schemes and card-not-present fraud. 

Here’s how these schemes work and what steps you should take immediately to protect yourself.

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Illustration of a crook stealing credit card info (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How it happens

Even if a new credit card hasn’t arrived yet, it may already be vulnerable. In many cases, the issue isn’t about the card being physically stolen but about someone gaining access to your information digitally. Criminals can exploit online account features, mobile wallets or leaked personal data to start using your card before you’ve even opened the envelope. Below are some of the most common ways this type of fraud happens.

1. Account takeover or access

If a scammer already has access to your account, either through stolen login credentials, a hacked email or malware, they can view the newly issued card number in the online dashboard or mobile app. Many credit card companies now allow instant access to digital card numbers for use in Apple Pay, Google Wallet or online purchases. This means that as soon as a new card is issued, it may be visible digitally before the physical card is even shipped. If a fraudster has access to your account, they can add the number to a digital wallet and begin spending before the envelope ever hits your mailbox.

2. Digital wallet hijack

Some card issuers allow you to add your credit card to mobile wallets instantly, even before the physical card arrives. While this feature is convenient, it can also expose you to specific security risks tied to mobile wallet activation. Criminals may exploit this process by using stolen personal information to bypass security checks and add your card to their own Apple Pay or Google Wallet accounts. They might pose as you to request a new card, intercept or reroute the digital activation process, or even start making fraudulent purchases immediately. This type of fraud can be hard to detect, especially if you’re not expecting a new card or if unauthorized charges blend in with legitimate transactions.

Illustration of someone using their digital wallet (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

THIS IS HOW TO PROTECT YOUR CREDIT AND BANK CARDS FROM GETTING HACKED

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3. Phishing or data breaches

Another common scenario involves your personal information being compromised in a phishing attack or large-scale data breach. Thieves use this stolen data, such as your name, Social Security number, address and security question answers, to impersonate you and gain access to your account dashboard or reset login credentials. Once inside, they can retrieve new card details directly from the source or request a replacement card. Phishing scams often trick victims into revealing sensitive information through fake emails or websites, while data breaches expose vast amounts of personal data that criminals can exploit for fraudulent activities.

4. Mail theft

Although charges made before a new credit card is received are rarely due to mail theft, this type of traditional fraud still poses a risk. Criminals may intercept your mail to steal sensitive documents, including credit cards, which can then be used for unauthorized purchases. To reduce this risk, avoid leaving important mail unattended in your mailbox. Consider using Informed Delivery by USPS to track incoming mail or request that your credit card be delivered to a secure location, such as a P.O. box or directly to your bank branch.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

A person using their new credit card (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

HOW CYBERSCAMS ARE DRAINING AMERICANS’ WALLETS BY THE BILLIONS

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What to do immediately

If you find yourself in this situation where fraudulent charges appear on a card you haven’t received yet, take these steps right away.

1. Change login credentials: Update all login information with your bank or credit card company, including:

  • New password
  • Security questions
  • PIN (if applicable)

If your account is linked to an email address that may also be compromised, update the password for that email account as well. Many fraudsters gain access by first hacking your email, which can give them entry to password-reset links and sensitive notifications. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords. Get more details about my best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 here.

2. Use strong antivirus software: If spyware or a keylogger has been installed on your device, it can continue to steal sensitive data, such as passwords and personal information, even after you change your credentials. To protect yourself, install strong antivirus software on all your devices. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

3. Enable multifactor authentication (MFA): Add MFA to all accounts tied to your financial information. This adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second verification step (e.g., a code sent to your phone) before accessing sensitive accounts.

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4. Use an identity theft protection service: Identity theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security number, phone number and email address and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.

5. Invest in personal data removal services: Consider using a personal data removal service to reduce your online exposure. These services continuously monitor and remove your sensitive information from data brokers and websites that could be exploited by criminals. This lowers the chances of your data being used in phishing scams or other fraudulent activities. While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.

6. Ask your credit card company to investigate: Contact your credit card provider directly and request a full investigation. Ask if there was any suspicious account activity, such as a login from a new device, before the fraudulent charges occurred. They may be able to trace when and how your account was accessed. Most card issuers will reverse fraudulent charges and can reissue a new card with a different number.

7. Notify law enforcement: File a report with the Federal Trade Commission. If necessary, a police report should also be filed to document the fraud. This can be helpful for disputing charges and clearing your record. 

DON’T LET THIS CREDIT CARD FRAUD NIGHTMARE HAPPEN TO YOU

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Kurt’s key takeaways

So, we’ve uncovered how those sneaky credit card charges can surface even before you’ve held the card in your hands. It’s a reflection of the increasingly digital world we live in, where our personal information can be vulnerable in surprising ways. Remember, use strong antivirus software and consider a personal data removal service to minimize your online footprint. If you find yourself in this situation, act fast by changing your passwords, enabling multifactor authentication and reporting the issue to your card company.

What’s the most unexpected way your personal info has been compromised, and what steps did you take to recover? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

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Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

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Here’s your first look at Kratos in Amazon’s God of War show

Amazon has slowly been teasing out casting details for its live-action adaptation of God of War, and now we have our first look at the show. It’s a single image but a notable one showing protagonist Kratos and his son Atreus. The characters are played by Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson, respectively, and they look relatively close to their video game counterparts.

There aren’t a lot of other details about the show just yet, but this is Amazon’s official description:

The God of War series storyline follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.

That sounds a lot like the recent soft reboot of the franchise, which started with 2018’s God of War and continued through Ragnarök in 2022. For the Amazon series, Ronald D. Moore, best-known for his work on For All Mankind and Battlestar Galactica, will serve as showrunner. The rest of the cast includes: Mandy Patinkin (Odin), Ed Skrein (Baldur), Max Parker (Heimdall), Ólafur Darri Ólafsson (Thor), Teresa Palmer (Sif), Alastair Duncan (Mimir), Jeff Gulka (Sindri), and Danny Woodburn (Brok).

While production is underway on the God of War series, there’s no word on when it might start streaming.

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

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300,000 Chrome users hit by fake AI extensions

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Your web browser may feel like a safe place, especially when you install helpful tools that promise to make your life easier. But security researchers have uncovered a dangerous campaign in which more than 300,000 people installed Chrome extensions pretending to be artificial intelligence (AI) assistants. Instead of helping, these fake tools secretly collect sensitive information like your emails, passwords and browsing activity.

They used familiar names like ChatGPT, Gemini and AI Assistant. If you use Chrome and have installed any AI-related extension, your personal information may already be exposed. Even worse, some of these malicious extensions are still available today, putting more people at risk without their knowing.

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More than 300,000 Chrome users installed fake AI extensions that secretly harvested sensitive data. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What you need to know about fake AI extensions

Security researchers at browser security company LayerX discovered a large campaign involving 30 malicious Chrome extensions disguised as AI-powered assistants (via BleepingComputer). Together, these extensions were installed more than 300,000 times by unsuspecting users.

Some of the most popular extensions included names like AI Sidebar with 70,000 users, AI Assistant with 60,000 users, ChatGPT Translate with 30,000 users, and Google Gemini with 10,000 users. Another extension called Gemini AI Sidebar had 80,000 users before it was removed.

These extensions were distributed through the official Chrome Web Store, which made them appear legitimate and trustworthy. Even more concerning, researchers found that many of these extensions were connected to the same malicious server, showing they were part of a coordinated effort.

While some extensions have since been removed, others remain available. This means new users could still unknowingly install them and expose their personal data. Here’s the list of the affected extensions:

  • AI Assistant
  • Llama
  • Gemini AI Sidebar
  • AI Sidebar
  • ChatGPT Sidebar
  • Grok
  • Asking ChatGPT
  • ChatGBT
  • Chat Bot GPT
  • Grok Chatbot
  • Chat With Gemini
  • XAI
  • Google Gemini
  • Ask Gemini
  • AI Letter Generator
  • AI Message Generator
  • AI Translator
  • AI For Translation
  • AI Cover Letter Generator
  • AI Image Generator ChatGPT
  • Ai Wallpaper Generator
  • Ai Picture Generator
  • DeepSeek Download
  • AI Email Writer
  • Email Generator AI
  • DeepSeek Chat
  • ChatGPT Picture Generator
  • ChatGPT Translate
  • AI GPT
  • ChatGPT Translation
  • ChatGPT for Gmail

FAKE AI CHAT RESULTS ARE SPREADING DANGEROUS MAC MALWARE

These malicious tools were listed in the official Chrome Web Store, making them appear legitimate and trustworthy. (LayerX)

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How the fake AI Chrome extension attack works

These fake extensions pretend to offer helpful AI features, such as translating text, summarizing emails, or acting as an AI assistant. But behind the scenes, they quietly monitor what you are doing online.

Once installed, the extension gains permission to view and interact with the websites you visit. This allows it to read the contents of web pages, including login screens where you enter your username and password.

In some cases, the extensions specifically targeted Gmail. They could read your email messages directly from your browser, including emails you received and even drafts you were still writing. This means attackers could access private conversations, financial information and sensitive personal details.

The extensions then sent this information to servers controlled by the attackers. Because they loaded content remotely, the attackers could change their behavior at any time without needing to update the extension.

Some versions could also activate voice features through your browser. This could potentially capture spoken conversations near your device and send transcripts back to the attackers.

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If you installed one of these extensions, attackers may already have access to extremely sensitive information. This includes your email content, login credentials, browsing habits and possibly even voice recordings.

We reached out to Google for comment, and a spokesperson told CyberGuy that the company “can confirm that the extensions from this report have all been removed from the Google Web Store.”

BROWSER EXTENSION MALWARE INFECTED 8.8M USERS IN DARKSPECTRE ATTACK

Once installed, the extensions could read emails, capture passwords, monitor browsing activity and send the data to attacker-controlled servers. (Bildquelle/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

7 ways you can protect yourself from malicious Chrome extensions

If you have ever installed an AI-related Chrome extension, taking a few simple precautions now can help protect your accounts and prevent further damage.

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1) Remove any suspicious or unused browser extensions

On a Windows PC or Mac, open Chrome and type chrome://extensions into the address bar. Review every extension listed. If you see anything unfamiliar, especially AI assistants you don’t remember installing, click “Remove” immediately. Malicious extensions depend on going unnoticed. Removing them stops further data collection and cuts off the attacker’s access to your information.

2) Change your passwords

If you installed any suspicious extension, assume your passwords may be compromised. Start by changing your email password first, since email controls access to most other accounts. Then update passwords for banking, shopping and social media accounts. This prevents attackers from using stolen credentials to break into your accounts.

3) Use a password manager to create and protect strong passwords

A password manager generates unique, complex passwords for each account and stores them securely. This prevents attackers from accessing multiple accounts if one password is stolen. Password managers also alert you if your login credentials appear in known data breaches, helping you respond quickly and protect your identity. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

4) Install strong antivirus software and keep it active

Good antivirus software can detect malicious browser extensions, spyware, and other hidden threats. It scans your system for suspicious activity and blocks harmful programs before they can steal your information. This adds an important layer of protection that works continuously in the background to keep your device safe. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

5) Use an identity theft protection service

Identity theft protection services monitor your personal data, including email addresses, financial accounts, and Social Security numbers, for signs of misuse. If criminals try to open accounts or commit fraud using your information, you receive alerts quickly. Early detection allows you to act fast and limit financial and personal damage. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.

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6) Keep your browser and computer fully updated

Software updates fix security vulnerabilities that attackers exploit. Enable automatic updates for Chrome and your operating system so you always have the latest protections. These updates strengthen your defenses against malicious extensions and prevent attackers from taking advantage of known weaknesses.

7) Use a personal data removal service

Personal data removal services scan data broker websites that collect and sell your personal information. They help remove your data from these sites, reducing what attackers can find and use against you. Less exposed information means fewer opportunities for criminals to target you with scams, identity theft or phishing attacks.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaway

Even tools designed to make your life easier can become tools for cybercriminals. Malicious extensions often hide behind trusted names and convincing features, making them difficult to spot. You can significantly reduce your risk by reviewing your browser extensions regularly, removing anything suspicious and using protective tools like password managers and strong antivirus software.

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Have you checked your browser extensions recently? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

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Malicious browser extensions hit 4.3M users
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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

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Anthropic refuses Pentagon’s new terms, standing firm on lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance

Less than 24 hours before the deadline in an ultimatum issued by the Pentagon, Anthropic has refused the Department of Defense’s demands for unrestricted access to its AI.

It’s the culmination of a dramatic exchange of public statements, social media posts, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, coming down to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s desire to renegotiate all AI labs’ current contracts with the military. But Anthropic, so far, has refused to back down from its two current red lines: no mass surveillance of Americans, and no lethal autonomous weapons (or weapons with license to kill targets with no human oversight whatsoever). OpenAI and xAI had reportedly already agreed to the new terms, while Anthropic’s refusal had led to CEO Dario Amodei being summoned to the White House this week for a meeting with Hegseth himself, in which the Secretary reportedly issued an ultimatum to the CEO to back down by the end of business day on Friday or else.

In a statement late Thursday, Amodei wrote, “I believe deeply in the existential importance of using AI to defend the United States and other democracies, and to defeat our autocratic adversaries. Anthropic has therefore worked proactively to deploy our models to the Department of War and the intelligence community.”

He added that the company has “never raised objections to particular military operations nor attempted to limit use of our technology in an ad hoc manner” but that in a “narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine, rather than defend, democratic values” — going on to specifically mention mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. (Amodei mentioned that “partial autonomous weapons … are vital to the defense of democracy” and that fully autonomous weapons may eventually “prove critical for our national defense,” but that “today, frontier AI systems are simply not reliable enough to power fully autonomous weapons.” He did not rule out Anthropic acquiescing to the military’s use of fully autonomous weapons in the future but mentioned that they were not ready now.)

The Pentagon had already reportedly asked major defense contractors to assess their dependence on Anthropic’s Claude, which could be seen as the first step to designating the company a “supply chain risk” – a public threat that the Pentagon had made recently (and a classification usually reserved for threats to national security). The Pentagon was also reportedly considering invoking the Defense Production Act to make Anthropic comply.

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Amodei wrote in his statement that the Pentagon’s “threats do not change our position: we cannot in good conscience accede to their request.” He also wrote that “should the Department choose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations, or other critical missions. Our models will be available on the expansive terms we have proposed for as long as required.”

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