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Supreme Court rejects appeal from county clerk who sought to overturn same-sex marriage decision
The Supreme Court on Monday said it will not revisit its landmark decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, leaving intact the 2015 protections granted to couples in Obergefell v. Hodges.
Justices rejected an appeal brought by Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk who was held in contempt after she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples due to her religious beliefs.
The Court declined to take up her appeal without explanation and without any noted dissents, which is not uncommon when a court declines to hear a case.
Still, Davis' appeal prompted fresh speculation about whether the court's conservative majority — including three justices who dissented from the majority in Obergefell —might agree to re-hear the case.
Davis was briefly jailed in 2015 after she refused to issue the marriage licenses, and was ordered by a district court to pay $100,000 in damages to the couple, and to cover the couple's legal fees.
"If ever a case deserved review," Davis's lawyers said in their appeal, "the first individual who was thrown in jail post-Obergefell for seeking accommodation for her religious beliefs should be it."
They also hewed closely to language used by Justice Clarence Thomas, who in 2022 used a concurring opinion to urge the court to "reconsider" gay marriage and other constitutional protections after it overturned Roe v. Wade.
Still, the appeal had been considered to be something of a long shot. It takes four votes to get a case onto the docket — a somewhat heavy lift for the court. The decision also comes at a time when justices have agreed to review a number of politically charged cases in its upcoming term.
This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.
NFL veteran defensive lineman suspended, mocked online for punching helmeted opponent
Washington Commanders defensive lineman Daron Payne was ejected from Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions for throwing a punch at wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.
On Monday, the NFL suspended Payne for one game.
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The incident occurred in the second quarter after Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs scored on a 13-yard run to put Detroit up 22-3. Payne was seen swinging his fist and connecting with St. Brown after the play was over. Commanders defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw also received a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct during the fracas.
Fans were upset with Payne’s conduct on the field, suggesting that a Pro Bowler who has been in the league for eight years should know better than to throw a punch on the field. Furthermore, they mocked the NFL veteran for punching a player who had his helmet on.
Kinlaw told reporters after the game that it was St. Brown who hit Payne first. In the NFL, and most sports, it’s usually the second person who retaliates that gets the punishment.
"It’s bulls---, 100%," Kinlaw said, via NBC Sports Washington.
COMMANDERS FANS FACE BACKLASH FOR BOOING TRUMP DURING US MILITARY CEREMONY
Detroit made it look easy against Washington. The Lions took a 25-10 lead into the halftime break and never looked back from there. The Commanders were playing without Jayden Daniels, who suffered a gruesome injury to his non-throwing shoulder last week.
The Lions won the game 44-22 behind Jared Goff’s 320 passing yards and three touchdown passes. Gibbs had three total touchdowns – two rushing and one receiving. He also had 142 rushing yards.
Detroit improved to 6-3 on the year. Washington fell to 3-7.
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Senate vote to end government shutdown ignites Democrat civil war
The eight critical votes that advanced a short-term spending package on Sunday evening and put the government on the path to re-opening also tore the seams of Democratic Party unity, bringing scrutiny to its shutdown strategy and leadership.
One of the eight said that the plan Democrats had rallied around at its outset had crumbled.
"After six weeks — going on seven weeks — that path wasn’t working," Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said. "It wasn’t going to happen. The question was: Does the shutdown further the goal of achieving some needed support for the extension of the tax credits? Our judgment was that it will not produce that result."
"The evidence for that is almost seven weeks of fruitless attempts to make that happen. Would it change in a week? Or another week? Or after Thanksgiving? There’s no evidence that it would."
SHUTDOWN IGNITES STRATEGIST DEBATE: WILL TRUMP AND GOP PAY THE POLITICAL PRICE IN 2026?
To other Democrats, it’s the party’s top figures who led a losing effort.
"Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced. If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?" Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif, said in a post on social media on Sunday.
The government first plunged into a shutdown 40 days ago on Oct. 1 when Democrats rejected a short-term spending bill advanced by Republicans in the House meant to keep the government afloat until Nov. 21. Democrats had demanded that lawmakers first consider expiring COVID-era Obamacare subsidies set to phase out at the end of the year. Republicans, who saw spending and the tax credits as completely unrelated, refused to negotiate on the tax credits during the shutdown.
Ultimately, Republicans avoided any substantive concessions on the Obamacare credits.
The package advanced by the Senate on Sunday looks to reopen the government through Jan. 30, 2026, and also includes a bundle of three yearlong spending bills to fund Veterans Affairs, the country’s agriculture expenses and the legislative branch.
In return, Democrats who voted for the package secured the inclusion of language that prevents the Trump administration from conducting mass layoffs of federal workers through Jan. 30 and guarantees back pay for federal employees fired since the beginning of the shutdown. Additionally, they secured a stand-alone vote on the tax credit subsidies to be considered later this year, although that vote remains likely to fail without the needed Republican support.
To some Democrats, a failure to secure an extension — or even a partial extension — of the Obamacare subsidies was unacceptable.
GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN AFTER CONGRESS DEADLOCKS ON SPENDING DEAL
"I cannot support a deal that still leaves millions of Americans wondering how they are going to pay for their healthcare or whether they will be able to afford to get sick," Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said of the proposal.
"That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose healthcare premiums are about to double," Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., said in a post on X.
But after 40 days of waiting, frustrations over the lack of an off-ramp didn’t just come from the senators who voted to advance the legislation.
"I just don’t get what the point is of delaying even longer," Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said moments after opposing the bill. "I want Republicans to grow a backbone and say, ‘Regardless of what Donald Trump says, we’re going to restore these cuts on healthcare,’ but it looks like I’ve lost that fight. So, I don’t want to impose more pain on people who are hungry and who haven’t been paid."
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., who pledged to vote against the package over its silence on Obamacare subsidies, said he understood the cracks in the party’s unity.
SPEAKER JOHNSON FLIPS SCRIPT ON DEM LEADERS WITH STAUNCH WARNING AGAINST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
"On healthcare, I’d like to keep trying," Coons said. "But I understand, I respect my colleagues who are saying it’s time."
A final vote on the spending package is expected to take place in the Senate early this week. After that, it must clear the House of Representatives before it can become law and reopen the government.
Republicans target 2 key Democratic races with Mamdani connection strategy
As Republicans eagerly look to pin the Democratic Party to New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, two specific races look like early opportunities to do just that: the Michigan Senate primary and Colorado’s 8th Congressional District.
In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed hopes to become the state’s next U.S. senator. In Colorado, Manny Rutinel is running to unseat freshman Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo.
On both fronts, the Republican National Committee (RNC) hopes audiences will see a connection to the mayor-elect in New York.
REPUBLICANS PUSH TO MAKE MAMDANI THE NEW FACE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
"Manny Rutinel and Abdul El-Sayed have anchored themselves to Mamdani, thinking he will get them across the finish line. Republicans are watching," RNC spokeswoman Delanie Bomar told Fox News Digital.
Republican strategists hope that the efforts to tie socialism to Democrat candidates will diminish their chances outside of New York. For the Democrat candidates themselves, that introduces a question: Will the immediate momentum of the Mamdani brand bring the long-term downsides Republicans are counting on? Or could similarities to Mamdani's recent success help them stand out?
El-Sayed is walking that line carefully. When asked if he would embrace the idea of becoming Michigan’s Mamdani, El-Sayed said he would carve out his own image.
"I am the Michigan Abdul," he said. "I always have been. I always will be."
But like Mamdani, El-Sayed has made affordability — and the role of government — key pieces of his campaign. In addition to calling for lowering housing costs, he’s advocated for Medicare for all, opposes corporate tax carve-outs, and he supports tuition-free access to higher education. He expects voters from New York, Michigan and beyond to continue in that direction.
"You’re seeing that kind of resonance here in Michigan for sure. And I’m not surprised that you’re seeing that in New York, too. Government ought to be available to set an equal playing field for everybody and to offer those basic things that everybody needs and deserves," El-Sayed said.
El-Sayed endorsed Mamdani ahead of the mayoral election last week.
WILL ELECTION DAY 2025 BE REMEMBERED AS THE RISE OF THE SOCIALISTS?
Rutinel, the Democrat challenger in Colorado, hasn’t made his policy platform as clear. The first-term state representative doesn’t have any positions listed on his website. And besides signing a letter calling for the release of an ICE detainee, he hasn’t publicly made statements that would separate him from most of the Democrat Party.
That hasn’t stopped the Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) from drawing the Mamdani connection anyway.
The CLF, an arm of the House Republican fundraising apparatus, highlighted a video posted to Instagram of a Mamdani campaign rally, offering it as proof that Rutinel belongs in the same bucket as Mamdani.
The video briefly shows someone who looks like Rutinel standing behind Mamdani.
"What does the CO-08 race have in common with the NYC Mayoral Race? Democrat Manny Rutinel is campaigning in both," CLF pointed out recently in one of its ads.
Rutinel’s campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
The office of Evans, the current representative for Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, didn’t immediately draw a connection to Mamdani but made the case that New York and Colorado have very different electorates. They suggested that an attempt to replicate Mamdani’s strategy in Colorado would play out differently in the Centennial State.
"When people tell you who they are, believe them. Democrats have fully endorsed the far-left socialist, extremist base of their party — the same base that’s anti-law enforcement and handcuffs work rather than rewarding it. Those policies may sell in New York, but Coloradans aren’t buying it," a spokesperson for Evans said.
DNC EMBRACES SOCIALIST MAMDANI AS RESURFACED ANTI-ISRAEL REMARKS RAISE ALARM: 'BIG TENT PARTY'
A strategist familiar with the thinking of campaigns in Colorado and Michigan believes that more Democrats may use an apparent similarity to Mamdani to stand out in the short term, especially in the wake of Tuesday’s election.
"I think — at least in crowded primaries — many candidates are just thinking they need to get through the primary," the strategist said. "It riles up the base. The base sees Mamdani as the new face of the party. They finally have someone."
"I just don’t think it’s going to be helpful in a general election," they added.
Bomar, the RNC spokeswoman, said that if more Democrats decide to lean into that connection, Republicans will be waiting.
"Americans want no part of socialism and Mamdani will ultimately sink Democrats’ chances around the country," Bomar said.
Top conservative group jumps into Republican primary fight in race to flip key swing state Senate seat
FIRST ON FOX: The political wing of a fiscally conservative political advocacy group with a powerful grassroots outreach operation is taking sides in a Republican Senate primary battle. The winner will move on to a race for a key swing state seat that the GOP aims to flip next year.
Americans for Prosperity Action (AFP Action) on Monday announced it is backing former Republican Sen. John E. Sununu's 2026 bid to return to the Senate in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire.
The Senate battle in New Hampshire is one of a handful in next year's midterm elections that will determine if the GOP is able to not only defend but possibly expand its majority in the chamber.
The endorsement of Sununu, who is facing off against former Sen. Scott Brown for the GOP nomination, was shared first with Fox News Digital on Monday.
FORMER GOP SENATOR RUNNING TO FLIP KEY SWING STATE SEAT SAYS HE WANTS TO 'WORK WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP'
"John Sununu is exactly the kind of principled leader New Hampshire needs in the U.S. Senate," AFP Action Director Nathan Nascimento said in a statement. "His deep roots in the Granite State and proven record of advancing limited government principles, cutting wasteful spending, and driving smart regulatory reform make him uniquely qualified to represent New Hampshire’s values in Washington."
The endorsement by AFP Action is the third in 2026 Senate races, following their backing of former Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley in North Carolina and former Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan, who's making his second straight Senate run. But it's the group's first endorsement in a Senate race where President Donald Trump remains neutral to date.
Sununu is a former three-term representative who defeated then-Gov. Shaheen in New Hampshire's 2002 Senate election. But the senator lost to Shaheen in their 2008 rematch.
Shaheen announced earlier this year that she wouldn't seek re-election in next year's midterms and Republicans are working to flip the seat as they aim to not only defend but expand their 53-47 Senate majority.
Now, after nearly two decades in the private sector, Sununu is returning to the campaign trail in New England's only swing state.
It's been 15 years since Republicans won a U.S. Senate election in swing-state New Hampshire. But Sununu is confident he can break his party's losing streak.
"This is a race I know I can win," Sununu said in a recent Fox News Digital interview. "It's the right message, the right set of issues, and also the right person."
Sununu is a brand name in New Hampshire politics. The former senator's father, John H. Sununu, is a former governor who later served as chief of staff in then-President George H.W. Bush's White House. And one of his younger brothers is former Gov. Chris Sununu, who won election and re-election to four two-year terms steering the Granite State.
SCOOP: FORMER TRUMP AMBASSADOR SHOWCASES MAJOR FUNDRAISING HAUL IN BATTLE TO FLIP DEM SENATE SEAT
But Sununu won't have a smooth path to the GOP nomination.
Brown, who was elected and served three years in the Senate in neighboring Massachusetts, and who, as the 2014 GOP Senate nominee in New Hampshire, narrowly lost to Shaheen during her first re-election, jumped into the race in late June.
"Our campaign will have the necessary resources for the long haul, and allow me to campaign the only way I know how: relentless hard work and a focus on retail politics that Granite State voters expect," Brown said after Fox News first reported a couple of weeks ago that he hauled in roughly $1.2 million in fundraising during his first three months as a candidate.
AFP Action's national and New Hampshire political teams met with both candidates before deciding to endorse Sununu.
"John E. Sununu is an unapologetic and proven champion of New Hampshire values like limited accountable government, personal responsibility and free markets. He is the perfect antidote for what’s wrong with Washington today and will make the Granite State proud in the U.S. Senate," AFP regional director Greg Moore said.
AFP, the influential and deep-pocketed grassroots network founded by the billionaire Koch Brothers, highlights that in the 2024 election cycle, it and AFP Action engaged in a record-breaking 647 races, knocking on 20 million doors, and reaching 30 million voters. And the group says they expect "to significantly exceed those 2024 metrics across the board" in the 2026 cycle.
"We will put our unrivaled grassroots operation in full support of this effort and will work to ensure that this race becomes about the issues that matter most to New Hampshire residents and not about the political noise that has become a feature of politics lately," Moore emphasized.
Republicans are working to expand their 53-47 majority in next year's midterms. And Shaheen's seat in New Hampshire is a top GOP target, along with battleground Michigan, where Democrat Sen. Gary Peters isn't running for re-election, and Georgia, where Democrat Sen. Jon Ossoff faces a rough road to securing a second six-year term in the Senate.
"We believe that this will be among the most competitive races nationally this year, and we feel that AFP Action can make a huge impact in getting John E. Sununu back in the Senate," Moore said.
Ahead of AFP Action's announcement, Brown landed the endorsement of former Republican Sen. Bob Smith of New Hampshire.
Sununu defeated then-Sen. Smith in the 2002 GOP Senate primary, and Brown topped Smith in the 2014 primary.
"I got to know Scott during the 2014 campaign when we ran against each other, and have come to appreciate his hustle, hard work and focus on New Hamsphire," Smith said in a statement on Sunday.
The winner of next September's GOP primary will likely face off in the general election with four-term Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, who is the frontrunner for his party's Senate nomination.
Trump puts BBC on notice: Retract, apologize for ‘false, defamatory’ documentary or face $1 billion lawsuit
FIRST ON FOX— President Donald Trump is seeking to hold the BBC responsible for "false, defamatory, disparaging, and inflammatory statements," giving the British broadcaster a Friday deadline to make things right or face a $1 billion lawsuit.
The BBC has been engulfed in criticism over a BBC Panorama documentary about Trump’s Jan. 6, 2021, speech that he delivered before the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Critics believe the documentary was wildly misleading because it omitted Trump urging supporters to protest peacefully, and the BBC director-general Tim Davie and BBC News and Current Affairs chief Deborah Turness both stepped down in recent days amid the growing controversy.
Now, Trump is acting, and his litigation counsel sent a scathing notice of intent to bring a civil action lawsuit on Sunday to BBC Chair Samir Shah, along with general counsel Sarah Jones. The letter, which has been obtained by Fox News Digital, demands that "false, defamatory, disparaging, and inflammatory statements" made about Trump must be retracted immediately.
BBC DIRECTOR-GENERAL AND UK NEWS CHIEF BOTH RESIGN OVER TRUMP SPEECH EDITING SCANDAL
Trump’s legal team said the statements in the documentary were "fabricated and aired by the BBC," giving the president no choice than to take legal action.
"Failure to comply will leave President Trump with no choice but to pursue any and all legal rights and remedies available to recover damages for the overwhelming financial and reputational harm that the BBC has caused him to suffer, with all rights and remedies being expressly reserved by President Trump," the letter states.
"In the Panorama documentary, titled ‘Trump: A Second Chance,’ which was first broadcast on October 28, 2024—a week before the 2024 United States presidential election—the BBC intentionally sought to completely mislead its viewers by splicing together three separate parts of President Trump’s speech to supporters," the letter continues. "The documentary showed President Trump telling supporters: ‘We’re gonna walk down to the Capitol, and I’ll be there with you and we fight. We fight like hell and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.’"
According to the letter, Trump actually said, "We’re going to walk down, and I’ll be there with you, we’re going to walk down, we’re going to walk down any one of you but I think right here, we’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women."
The letter, penned by Trump attorney Alejandro Brito, then explained that BBC also edited out Trump saying, "I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard."
Brito accused the BBC of defamation under Florida law.
"Due to their salacious nature, the fabricated statements that were aired by the BBC have been widely disseminated throughout various digital mediums, which have reached tens of millions of people worldwide. Consequently, the BBC has caused President Trump to suffer overwhelming financial and reputational harm," Brito wrote on behalf of Trump.
"Consequently, the BBC lacks any viable defense to the overwhelming reputational and financial harm it has caused President Trump to suffer."
BILL MAHER SAYS HE DOESN'T 'GIVE A S---' ABOUT TRUMP'S WHITE HOUSE REMODEL, SLAMS PRESS COVERAGE
Trump’s legal team feels "the BBC’s reckless disregard for the truth underscores the actual malice behind the decision to publish the wrongful content, given the plain falsity of the statements."
The president demands "a full and fair retraction of the documentary and any and all other false, defamatory, disparaging, misleading, and inflammatory statements about President Trump in as conspicuous a manner as they were originally published," an immediate apology and compensation.
The BBC is looking into the situation.
"We will review the letter and respond directly in due course," a BBC spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
The BBC is already down two key executives because of the saga, and it appears problems could only get worse for the British broadcaster. Also in the letter, Trump’s legal team instructs the BBC not to destroy any documents or data that would be relevant in a potential lawsuit.
"If the BBC does not comply with the above by November 14, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. EST, President Trump will be left with no alternative but to enforce his legal and equitable rights, all of which are expressly reserved and are not waived, including by filing legal action for no less than $1,000,000,000 (One Billion Dollars) in damages. The BBC is on notice," the letter concluded.
WHITE HOUSE MAKEOVERS HAVE LONG SPARKED CONTROVERSY, WELL BEFORE PRESIDENT TRUMP'S $200M BALLROOM
Pressure against Davie had intensified after The Telegraph published excerpts from a whistleblower dossier compiled by Michael Prescott, a communications advisor hired by the BBC to review its editorial standards. The documents criticized some aspects of BBC coverage, including the Trump edit, reporting on transgender issues and alleged anti-Israel bias in the BBC’s Arabic service.
When Turness stepped down, she said the controversy over the Trump documentary "has reached a stage where it is causing damage to the BBC, an institution that I love. As the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, the buck stops with me," she added.
Before threatening legal action, Trump reacted to the executives stepping down in a post on Truth Social on Sunday.
"The TOP people in the BBC, including TIM DAVIE, the BOSS, are all quitting/FIRED, because they were caught ‘doctoring’ my very good (PERFECT!) speech of January 6th," the president wrote. "Thank you to The Telegraph for exposing these Corrupt ‘Journalists.’ These are very dishonest people who tried to step on the scales of a Presidential Election. On top of everything else, they are from a Foreign Country, one that many consider our Number One Ally. What a terrible thing for Democracy!"
A spokesman for President Trump’s legal team provided the following statement to Fox News Digital: "The BBC defamed President Trump by intentionally and deceitfully editing its documentary in order to try and interfere in the Presidential Election. President Trump will continue to hold accountable those who traffic in lies, deception, and fake news."
Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt previously described the BBC as "100% fake news" and a "propaganda machine" in an interview after allegations of bias at the broadcaster surfaced. In an interview with The Telegraph she said, "This purposefully dishonest, selectively edited clip by the BBC is further evidence that they are total, 100% fake news that should no longer be worth the time on the television screens of the great people of the United Kingdom."
Fox News Digital’s Emma Bussey contributed to this report.
Giants rookie makes NFL history before leaving game with concussion
New York Giants rookie Jaxson Dart reached the highest of highs and the lowest of lows all in one game on Sunday as the team fell to the Chicago Bears, 24-20.
Dart was 19-of-29 with 242 passing yards. He also ran for 66 yards and scored two touchdowns. But his day was cut short when he slammed his head onto the dirt as he fumbled the football in the third quarter. He left the game with a concussion and the Giants unraveled from there.
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Still, the former Ole Miss product etched his name into the NFL history books with his performance.
Dart became the only rookie quarterback to record a rushing touchdown in five consecutive games. He joined former Carolina Panthers star Cam Newton as the only rookie quarterbacks in league history to have at least seven rushing touchdowns through the first seven starts of their careers.
GIANTS' JAXSON DART JOINS TIM TEBOW WITH RARE STATISTICAL FEAT IN FIRST START
He’s also the fifth rookie quarterback with at least five games of at least 50 rushing yards.
It’s unclear how long Dart will be out as he needs to go through all the concussion checks before he comes back out on the field. He was already in the blue tent earlier this season during a Thursday night game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Giants head coach Brian Daboll was fined for going into the blue tent to see how Dart was doing.
"As he was going back out on the field, just didn't seem right, so called the trainers over and said, ‘Let’s get him out and make sure he gets looked at,’" Daboll said on Sunday.
Russell Wilson came into the game for Dart, but didn’t do much to inspire confidence in the offense. It’s unclear if Wilson will be the starter for the team’s next game. The Giants also have Jameis Winston on the roster.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The #1 Google search scam everyone falls for
When something goes wrong with your bank account or delivery, your first instinct might be to type the company name into Google and call the first customer service number you see. But that simple search has become one of the biggest traps for scammers, and it's costing people money, privacy and even control over their phones.
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Here's how one man's quick search for help turned into a nightmare he never expected. Gabriel wrote to us in distress, asking,
"I called my bank to check on some charges I didn't authorize. I called the number on the bank statement, but they told me to go online. I googled the company and dialed the first number that popped up. Some foreign guy got on the phone, and I explained about the charges. Somehow, he took control of my phone, where I didn't have any control. I tried to shut it down and hang up, but I couldn't. He ended up sending an explicit text message to my 16-year-old daughter. How do I prove I didn't send that message? Please help."
Gabriel's story is frightening, and unfortunately, it's not rare. This type of attack is called a remote access support scam. Scammers pretend to be bank or tech support, then trick you into installing a program that gives them control of your device. Once inside, they can steal passwords, send messages or lock you out completely.
WHATSAPP BANS 6.8M SCAM ACCOUNTS, LAUNCHES SAFETY TOOL
Search engines reward paid ads. Scammers take advantage of this by buying ad space to appear above legitimate customer service numbers. The fake pages look professional, complete with company logos and 800 numbers that seem real.
Once you call, the fake "agent" sounds knowledgeable and polite. They build trust, then convince you to install remote access software such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer. From that point, they can control everything on your phone.
Gabriel, what you went through is incredibly upsetting, and you're right to take it seriously. Here's what to do right away:
Turn off your phone immediately. Restart it in Airplane Mode and don't connect to Wi-Fi yet. Run a full antivirus scan with strong antivirus software.
Use a secure device that has not been compromised to reset the passwords for your key accounts, including email, cloud storage, phone carrier and banking logins. Create strong, unique passwords for each account and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for added protection on all your devices and platforms.
Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our #1 password manager (see Cyberguy.com) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.
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Let your phone provider know that your device was taken over. Ask them to check for unauthorized remote management apps or SIM-swap activity. Notify your bank's fraud department and report the fake number you found on Google.
Take screenshots and save everything. Contact local police and explain that the message was sent from your number while your phone was under remote control. If a minor is involved, the case may be referred to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov).
Once your data is backed up, perform a factory reset on your iPhone or Android to remove any hidden software. Reinstall only apps you recognize from the official app store.
HOW TO STOP IMPOSTOR BANK SCAMS BEFORE THEY DRAIN YOUR WALLET
Falling for a fake customer service number can happen to anyone, especially when you're in a rush or worried about your account. Here's how to make sure you never get tricked by the same kind of scam that hijacked Gabriel's phone.
Always type the company's web address yourself or use the contact number printed on your card or statement. Scammers often create fake numbers that appear in search results, hoping you'll call them instead of your real bank.
Search engines sell ad space to anyone, including criminals posing as real businesses. Those top "sponsored" listings can lead straight to scammers. Instead, scroll down until you find the official domain ending in .com, .org or .gov.
No legitimate company needs to control your device to verify charges or fix an account issue. If someone asks you to install software like AnyDesk or TeamViewer, hang up immediately. These tools give strangers complete control of your screen and data.
Scammers rely on panic. When someone insists you act "right now" or risk losing money, that's a warning sign. Stay calm, hang up, and verify the problem through your bank's official website or number.
Install and regularly update a trusted antivirus app. Strong antivirus software can block remote-access tools and spyware before scammers gain access. Regular scans also detect hidden threats that may already be on your phone or computer.
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.
Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com
Many scammers find victims through data brokers that sell phone numbers and personal details. A data removal service helps erase your information from these sites. As a result, it's harder for criminals to target you with fake customer service scams in the first place.
While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren't cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It's what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.
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
Even a short breach can expose your private information. Identity-monitoring tools alert you when your name, email or Social Security number appears on the dark web. That gives you time to act before scammers can use it.
Identity Theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security Number (SSN), 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 at Cyberguy.com
The internet has made getting help easier than ever, but it has also made it easier for scammers to pretend to be helpful. The top way people are being scammed today isn't through phishing emails or suspicious links; it's by trusting fake phone numbers that look official. Take a few minutes to save the real customer service numbers for your bank, phone provider, and credit card company. One quick call to the wrong number could give a stranger access to your entire digital life.
With fake customer service numbers flooding search results, should Google be held responsible for protecting you from these scams? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Reagan-appointed federal judge resigns to speak out against Trump's 'assault on the rule of law'
A federal judge appointed by former President Ronald Reagan announced in an op-ed published Sunday that he resigned from his position, relinquishing his lifetime appointment to speak out against President Donald Trump, whom he views as eroding judicial independence and using the law to reward allies and punish opponents.
Mark Wolf, who was appointed by Reagan in 1985, said in The Atlantic that he had looked forward to serving on the bench for the rest of his life but felt compelled to resign.
"My reason is simple: I no longer can bear to be restrained by what judges can say publicly or do outside the courtroom. President Donald Trump is using the law for partisan purposes, targeting his adversaries while sparing his friends and donors from investigation, prosecution, and possible punishment," he wrote.
"This is contrary to everything that I have stood for in my more than 50 years in the Department of Justice and on the bench. The White House’s assault on the rule of law is so deeply disturbing to me that I feel compelled to speak out. Silence, for me, is now intolerable."
FORMER SUPREME COURT JUSTICE WARNS PARTISANSHIP PLAYS 'TOO MUCH OF A ROLE' IN JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS
The former federal judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts said he began his career in public service at the Department of Justice in 1974, several years after the Watergate scandal.
Wolf served under former President Gerald Ford’s Attorney General Edward Levi, who he argued helped shape his views on what it means to uphold the rule of law and to seek justice in a nonpartisan way.
"I decided all of my cases based on the facts and the law, without regard to politics, popularity, or my personal preferences. That is how justice is supposed to be administered—equally for everyone, without fear or favor. This is the opposite of what is happening now," he wrote.
DOJ ACCUSES FEDERAL JUDGE OF MAKING ‘MOCKERY OF THE SEPARATION OF POWERS’ IN SNAP APPEAL
Wolf’s successor was selected and nominated after he became a senior judge in 2013, and the seat was officially filled by Judge Indira Talwani in 2014.
"I hope to be a spokesperson for embattled judges who, consistent with the code of conduct, feel they cannot speak candidly to the American people," he told The New York Times.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement to Fox News Digital that judges who "want to inject their own personal agenda into the law have no place on the bench."
"Here’s the reality: with over 20 Supreme Court victories, the Trump Administration’s policies have been consistently upheld by the Supreme Court as lawful despite an unprecedented number of legal challenges and unlawful lower court rulings," Jackson said. "And any other radical judges that want to complain to the press should at least have the decency to resign before doing so."
Harvard professor says there's 'grain of truth' in Trump calling school 'liberal mess'
Harvard psychology professor Steven Pinker said there was a "grain of truth" to President Donald Trump's argument that Harvard University was a "liberal mess."
"President Trump has described Harvard as a liberal mess, that it has been hiring almost all woke, radical left idiots and birdbrains," CBS' Bill Whitaker asked Pinker during "60 Minutes." "The language is a bit harsh, but does he have a point here?"
"Not there, no. I do not agree with that. I think there is a grain of a truth," Pinker said. "I think there should be more voices on the right at Harvard."
US BLOCKS TRUMP ATTEMPT TO FREEZE MORE THAN $2 BILLION IN HARVARD FUNDS
The Trump administration has taken aim at elite universities over antisemitism. Trump slashed more than $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard earlier this year due to its failure to comply with the recommendations of a federal antisemitism task force. A judge in Boston blocked the Trump administration's attempt to slash funding in September.
Pinker added that he didn't think Trump should be the one determining whose voices are acceptable.
Whitaker asked Pinker where he believed Harvard had gone wrong.
"I think there have been too many incidents in which someone has expressed a controversial opinion and has been shamed or canceled," Pinker said.
Harvard University did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
He specifically pointed to former Harvard professor Carole Hooven, who previously taught the "Hormones and Behavior" human evolutionary biology course at the university.
Hooven said school administrators didn't support her after comments she made during a Fox News interview about biological sex.
The former professor told Fox News in 2021, "The ideology seems to be that biology really isn't as important as how somebody feels about themselves or feels their sex to be."
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"The facts are that there are, in fact, two sexes — there are male and female — and those sexes are designated by the kind of gametes we produce," she said.