💰 A Raise That Needs No Activation Fee, a “Warrant” That Comes With Fancy Paperwork, a Halloween Shop That Won’t Be There in November and Money That Really Is Yours: Your Scam Watch for This Week

Or: The Good Stuff Doesn’t Charge a Cover

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Good Wednesday morning, neighbors. Halfway through the week, and here’s a short list to read while the coffee cools. This week’s tricks all ride on something real. The Social Security raise is real. Jury duty is real. Halloween is real, ready or not. Lost money sitting with the state is real, too. Scammers like to stand next to real news and stick out a hand. The real thing almost never asks you to pay a stranger to get it. Nothing on this list calls for worry, and each item comes with one simple step.

Here’s what’s on the line: Social Security announced a 3.6% raise for 2027, and its watchdog says scammers may try to charge an “activation fee”; the Better Business Bureau says fake-officer callers in Tennessee are now sending official-looking warrants; BBB also shares five quick checks for last-minute Halloween shopping; and the Tennessee Treasury reminds us that claiming unclaimed money is free, with a reporting date coming up for business owners. Two items are Tennessee-wide and two are national warnings that reach right into Valley phones and mailboxes. We’ll tell you which is which.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Someone wants a fee to “activate” your Social Security raise? Hang up. The 3.6% raise is automatic. You don’t pay or do anything to get it.
• A “deputy” or “court officer” sends you a warrant and wants payment? Official-looking paper proves nothing. Look up the court or sheriff’s number yourself and call.
• Buying Halloween gear from a shop you don’t know? Check for a working phone number and a return policy, and pay with a credit card.
• A letter offers to find your lost money for a fee? You can search and claim for free at ClaimItTN.gov.
• Run a business? Tennessee unclaimed property reports are due Nov. 1, and the state will accept them through Monday, Nov. 2, without penalty.
• Already sent money? Call your bank first. In Dunlap, call police at (423) 949-3319 or non-emergency dispatch at (423) 949-9912.

💰 The 3.6% Raise Is Official, and It Turns On All by Itself

National: Social Security Administration and its Office of the Inspector General

On Oct. 14, the Social Security Administration announced a 3.6% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2027. SSA says retirement benefits will go up by about $75 a month on average. The raise begins in January 2027 for Social Security, and increased SSI payments begin Dec. 31, 2026.

Now the scam side. In a report published Oct. 17, Social Security’s independent watchdog, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), told Yahoo News it is preparing for reports of scammers demanding $100 or personal information to “activate” the increase. The OIG also warned about texts, emails and letters asking you to “verify” information or follow a link to get the bigger check, sometimes leading to websites that look a lot like Social Security’s. It noted that bad spelling isn’t a reliable giveaway anymore, because crooks can use AI to make messages and documents look polished.

What it means for you: The COLA is like the time change in the fall. It happens on its own, and nobody needs to come by the house to set your clock for a fee. If you’d like to see your new amount early, SSA says people with a personal my Social Security account can view their COLA notice online starting in late November. If you don’t have an account yet, SSA says to create one and sign up for paperless notices by Nov. 18 to see it online. Everyone else gets the notice by mail in December. Make that account by typing ssa.gov/myaccount yourself, not from a link in a text. Questions? Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.

👉 Read more (SSA: Social Security announces 3.6 percent benefit increase for 2027) · Yahoo News: 4 Social Security scams to watch for after the COLA announcement

📜 Update on Fake-Officer Calls: Now They Come With Paperwork

Statewide: Better Business Bureau Midsouth and Tennessee sheriffs

We’ve covered “you missed jury duty” calls before, but there’s a new wrinkle worth knowing. In a story that aired Oct. 19 on WBBJ in Jackson, the Better Business Bureau Midsouth warned about scammers posing as police officers, sheriff’s deputies, FBI agents and other officials. They may give a badge number or a real officer’s name, and they can make caller ID show a real law enforcement phone number. “Some even send official looking documents claiming to be arrest warrants,” said Daniel Irwin, BBB Midsouth’s communications manager. The callers often press people to stay on the phone, so there’s no time to stop and ask someone.

The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office in Middle Tennessee posted a similar reminder on Oct. 5. It said the fake papers may carry government seals, case numbers and the names of real judges or officers. Its rules are simple: law enforcement won’t call demanding money to keep you from being arrested, courts won’t take fines by gift card, crypto, payment app or wire transfer, and you shouldn’t use any phone number or website the caller gives you.

What it means for you: A fancy warrant from a stranger is like a fancy label on a jar at a yard sale. The label can say anything. What matters is what’s inside, and you find that out yourself. If you get one of these calls or papers, hang up, find the court clerk’s or sheriff’s number on your own and call it. Here at home, Dunlap Police are at (423) 949-3319. Real courts work by mail and through proper legal channels, not by keeping you on the phone until you pay.

👉 Read more (WBBJ: Scammers posing as law enforcement to demand payment for missed jury duty) · Williamson County Sheriff’s Office: Jury duty scam reminder

🎃 Halloween Shopping in a Hurry? Ask Where the Store Will Be on Nov. 1

National: Better Business Bureau

With Halloween about a week and a half away, the Better Business Bureau is reminding shoppers to slow down before buying that last-minute costume or decoration. In an Oct. 20 report, BBB said common Halloween scams include fake online stores, fraudulent event tickets and bait-and-switch deals, where what arrives isn’t what you ordered. One example: a costume advertised with several accessories shows up with pieces missing or looking nothing like the pictures. BBB also notes that seasonal Halloween stores may be open only a few weeks, which can make returns hard after the holiday.

BBB’s five checks: research the business at BBB.org; skip unfamiliar links in ads, emails and texts and go to the store’s website yourself; ask about the return policy and how long the store will be open; make sure there’s a working phone number, email or address; and pay with a credit card, which generally gives you stronger protection if you need to dispute a charge.

What it means for you: Buying from a pop-up shop is like buying pumpkins from a truck parked on the roadside. That’s fine, as long as you know the truck won’t be there next week if a pumpkin’s rotten inside. Ask before you pay, not after. Headed to a haunted house, corn maze or fall event? Buy tickets from the event’s own website, box office or official social media page, not from a stranger’s post or a sponsored ad.

👉 Read more (CBS 21: BBB warns of Halloween shopping scams) · BBB: Fake events and phony tickets

💵 Money the State Is Holding for You Is Free to Claim, So Don’t Pay a Stranger to Find It

Statewide: Tennessee Department of Treasury, Unclaimed Property Division

Here’s one with a happy ending for some folks. When a bank, utility, employer or other business owes you money and can’t find you, it gets turned over to the state as unclaimed property. It might be an old checking account, a forgotten refund, an uncashed paycheck or a utility deposit. The Tennessee Treasury says 1 in 10 Americans has unclaimed property waiting, and you can search and claim yours at no charge at ClaimItTN.gov.

You may also get a letter from a “finder” or “locator” offering to recover money for a fee. The Treasury says that’s legal in Tennessee if they follow the rules, but you’re never required to use one. A finder must be a licensed private investigator, can’t charge more than 10% of what’s recovered or $50, whichever is greater, and needs a written contract the Treasury approves. It’s also against the law for a finder to suggest they work for or with the Treasury. Not sure a letter is real? Call the Unclaimed Property Division at (866) 370-9429.

For business owners: If your shop, church or office is holding money it owes somebody, like an old refund or an uncashed paycheck, Tennessee unclaimed property reports are due Nov. 1. Because that’s a Sunday this year, the Treasury says it will accept reports submitted by Monday, Nov. 2, without penalty. Questions go to (615) 253-5362 or ucp.holders@tn.gov.

What it means for you: Looking up your own unclaimed money is like checking the coat pocket you haven’t worn since last winter. It’s free, it takes a minute, and sometimes there’s a twenty in there. Search your name, your late parents’ names and any old business names at ClaimItTN.gov. If anybody asks for money up front to “release” it, that’s your cue to walk away.

👉 Read more (Tennessee Treasury: Find your missing money) · Tennessee Treasury: What to know about finders and locators

✅ Your Front-Porch Scam Checklist

• ✅ Your Social Security raise is automatic. Nobody gets a fee to “activate” it.
• ✅ Want to see your new amount early? Set up my Social Security by typing ssa.gov/myaccount yourself, and sign up for paperless notices by Nov. 18.
• ✅ A warrant, seal or case number from a stranger proves nothing. Look up the court or sheriff’s number yourself.
• ✅ Real officers won’t keep you on the phone until you pay, and they won’t take gift cards, crypto, payment apps or wire transfers.
• ✅ Before buying from a shop you don’t know, check for a phone number and a return policy, and pay with a credit card.
• ✅ Buy event tickets from the event’s own website or box office.
• ✅ Search for your unclaimed money free at ClaimItTN.gov. You never have to pay a finder.
• ✅ Already paid? Call your bank or card company now, save your texts and receipts, then call local police and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

The practical rule: If something is already yours, you don’t pay a stranger to get it. Look it up yourself and go straight to the source.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Glossary

• COLA (cost-of-living adjustment): The yearly raise in Social Security and SSI payments to keep up with rising prices. For 2027 it’s 3.6%, and it’s automatic.
• SSI (Supplemental Security Income): A monthly payment from Social Security for people with low income who are older, blind or disabled.
• my Social Security: Social Security’s free online account, where you can see your benefit amount and notices.
• Office of the Inspector General (OIG): Social Security’s independent watchdog that investigates fraud and warns the public about scams.
• Spoofing: Faking the name or number on your caller ID so a call looks like it’s from someone you trust, even a real sheriff’s office.
• Bait-and-switch: When what you get is different from, or worse than, what was advertised.
• Unclaimed property: Money or property owed to you by a business or bank that couldn’t find you, now held by the state for you to claim.
• Finder (locator): A private business that offers to recover unclaimed property for a fee. In Tennessee they must be licensed and their fees are capped.
• Holder report: The yearly report a business files with the state listing money it owes people it couldn’t reach.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to do anything to get the 2027 Social Security raise?

No. Social Security says the COLA is automatic. The 3.6% increase starts with January 2027 benefits, and increased SSI payments start Dec. 31, 2026. Anyone asking for a fee or your personal information to “activate” it is running a scam.

How will I find out my new Social Security amount?

If you have a my Social Security account, SSA says you can see your COLA notice online starting in late November. To see it online, create an account and sign up for paperless notices by Nov. 18. Otherwise, your notice will come by mail in December. You can also call 1-800-772-1213.

Someone sent me an arrest warrant by text or email and says I can pay a fine to clear it. Is it real?

Treat it as a scam until you check it yourself. BBB Midsouth and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office say fake warrants can include seals, case numbers and real judges’ names. Don’t use the number or website the caller gives you. Look up the court clerk or sheriff’s office and call them directly. Law enforcement won’t call demanding money to stop an arrest.

The caller ID showed the real sheriff’s office number. Doesn’t that prove it’s them?

No. BBB says scammers can make caller ID show a real law enforcement number. Hang up and call the office back using a number you looked up yourself.

How can I tell if a Halloween store online is real?

BBB suggests checking the business at BBB.org, making sure it has a working phone number, email or address, asking about returns and how long the store will be open, typing the website in yourself instead of clicking an ad, and paying with a credit card.

I got a letter offering to find my unclaimed money for a fee. Is that a scam?

Not always, but you don’t need it. The Tennessee Treasury says you can claim your own money free at ClaimItTN.gov. Legitimate finders must be licensed private investigators, can’t charge more than 10% or $50 (whichever is greater) and need a Treasury-approved contract. If you’re unsure, call the Unclaimed Property Division at (866) 370-9429.

I already sent money. Is it too late?

Act quickly. Call your bank, card company or payment app using the number on your card or statement. Save texts, receipts and call logs. Then call local police (Dunlap Police: (423) 949-3319) and file reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and with the Tennessee Attorney General at tn.gov/consumer. If the scammer claimed to be Social Security, also report it at oig.ssa.gov/report. If your personal information was taken, IdentityTheft.gov has a step-by-step recovery plan.

🔗 Other Resources

• SSA: 2027 COLA fact sheet · my Social Security account · Social Security: 1-800-772-1213
• SSA: Protect yourself from Social Security scams · Report a Social Security scam (OIG)
• WBBJ: BBB Midsouth on fake-officer and jury duty calls
• BBB tips for Halloween shopping · BBB Scam Tracker · Chattanooga BBB: 423-266-6144
• Tennessee Treasury: Unclaimed property (ClaimItTN.gov) · (866) 370-9429
• Tennessee Treasury: Holder reporting for businesses · (615) 253-5362
• AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline · 877-908-3360
• TN Attorney General: Scams, Schemes & Swindles
• IdentityTheft.gov (recovery steps)
• Report a scam: ReportFraud.ftc.gov · FBI: ic3.gov

🌄 Rest Easy: What’s Yours Will Find You Without a Toll Booth

Here’s the calm takeaway: your raise will show up on its own, real courts send real mail, a good store will tell you how to return things, and your lost money is free to look up. The scams on this week’s list all try to put a toll booth in front of something that’s already yours. You don’t have to pay at that booth. Just pause, look up the number or website yourself, and go straight to the source. That habit costs nothing and keeps your money where it belongs.

Share this with the neighbor who’s counting on that January raise, the friend still hunting for a costume, or the relative who might have a forgotten account out there. We’ll keep watch and bring you what’s new. Read Dunlap.Today and sign up for our newsletter for plain-English scam alerts and Valley news.