Brooke Seipel

California

Journalist | Audience Growth & Content Strategy Expert at Freelance

Editor-in-Chief at mcafee.com

Articles

Keep It Real: How McAfee Is Using AI to Fight AI—and End Scam Stigma | McAfee Blog

1 month ago | mcafee.com | Brooke Seipel

Was that spinning head a mistake—or the whole point? When McAfee dropped a new digital ad showing a woman lounging on a beach, only to have her head rotate a full 360 degrees, the internet lit up. Some viewers thought it was a post-production error. Others assumed it was a weird deepfake gone wrong. And while a few sharp-eyed commentators caught the joke right away, most were left wondering: was this brilliant marketing or a complete fail? Spoiler: it was on purpose.
Introducing Scam Stories: A McAfee Campaign to End Scam Stigma

1 month ago | mcafee.com | Brooke Seipel

When Grey’s Anatomy actor Chris Carmack and musician Erin Slaver tried to order custom patio cushions from what seemed like a trustworthy small business, they thought they were making a simple home upgrade. But after clicking and paying through a special link, the cushions never arrived. Delays turned into excuses, messages went unanswered, and the seller’s account eventually disappeared—along with their money. It was a scam.
Introducing McAfee's Scam Detector - Now Included in All Core Plans

1 month ago | mcafee.com | Brooke Seipel

In today’s online world, scams are everywhere—and they’re harder to spot than ever. From sophisticated phishing texts and deepfake videos to emails that look just like messages from your bank or delivery provider, scammers are constantly evolving. And so are we. Introducing McAfee’s Scam Detector: advanced scam detection technology built to spot and stop scams across text messages, emails, and videos.
Fake Text Nearly Takes Identity: Cory’s Scam Story | McAfee Blog

1 month ago | mcafee.com | Brooke Seipel

Cory considers himself pretty cautious. But like millions of people juggling packed schedules, one click on a hectic day proved costly. The message looked legit. It said it was from his phone provider. It claimed someone was trying to access his account and urged him to verify via a link. He tapped. And just like that, his phone went dark. “I was in the middle of a busy day and clicked without thinking.
Brittany's Scam Story: Eras Tour Chaos

1 month ago | mcafee.com | Brooke Seipel

Brittany C., a dedicated teacher, had been planning a special night for months. After saving up steadily, she landed four prized tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour for her and her closest friends. But days before the show, she logged into her account—and the tickets were gone. “I’d been saving for months. I was so excited—and then I logged in and the tickets were just… gone.
Henry's Scam Story: The Social Media Con

1 month ago | mcafee.com | Brooke Seipel

Henry A. had been trying for weeks to score a ticket to see Tyler, the Creator in Dallas. Even without a confirmed seat, he headed to the venue hoping for a miracle. And that’s when the message came in—someone nearby claimed to have extra tickets. The seller said he was just outside too. The price? Reasonable enough. The tone? Casual and confident. All Henry had to do was send half the money to hold the tickets. Minutes later, he sent the full $280.
Bradley’s Scam Story: New Dad vs Fake IRS Call | McAfee Blog

1 month ago | mcafee.com | Brooke Seipel

Bradley K. was a brand-new dad, sleep-deprived and juggling life with a newborn, when he received a phone call that would change everything. The caller claimed to be from the IRS and said Bradley owed back taxes. If he didn’t pay immediately, they warned, he could be arrested. Unfortunately, it was a tax scam—and one that cost him $800 and left him shaken for months. The IRS Phone Scam That Took Advantage of a Vulnerable MomentLike many Americans, Bradley had just filed his taxes.
This Week in Scams: $16.6 Billion Lost, Deepfakes Rise, and Google Email Scams Emerge

2 months ago | mcafee.com | Brooke Seipel

Welcome to the first edition of This Week in Scams, a new weekly series from McAfee breaking down the latest fraud trends, headlines, and real-time threats we’re detecting across the digital landscape. This week, we’re spotlighting the FBI’s shocking new cybercrime report, the rise of AI-generated deepfakes, and a sophisticated Gmail impersonation scam flagged by Google.
Interviewing for a Job? Spot a Scam with These Questions

2 months ago | mcafee.com | Brooke Seipel

Job scams are on the rise. And asking the right questions can help steer you clear of them. That rise in job scams is steep, according to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Recent data shows that reported losses have grown five times over between 2020 and 2024. In 2024 alone, reported losses hit half a billion dollars, with unreported losses undoubtedly pushing actual losses yet higher. Last week, we covered how “pay to get paid” scams account for a big chunk of online job scams.
Your Phone Is the #1 Target in a New Wave of IRS Scams, McAfee Finds

2 months ago | mcafee.com | Brooke Seipel

As Tax Day looms and last-minute taxpayers feel the pressure, a surge of IRS scams is on the rise. Research by our McAfee Labs team projects a fresh wave of sophisticated tax scams as the stress of peak filing season sets in, with bogus text messages leading the way. Nearly half of taxpayers complete their taxes between mid-March and April 15, which gives scammers ample opportunity to cash in as people rush their filings with the IRS.