Hi, I’m Chris Durst – but around here, you can call me Grammy.
That’s what my grandson calls me. And when he says it, I feel special, needed… and, in his eyes, just a little bit all-knowing.
He’ll figure out soon enough that Grammy doesn’t actually have all the answers. But I’ll always do my very best to be honest, to guide him carefully, and to help him avoid harm when I can.
That’s exactly the spirit behind Ask Grammy.
Why You Can Trust What Grammy Tells You
I’ve spent decades studying how scams work – not as a hobby, but as a calling.
I’ve been online since the early 1990s, back when fewer than 10% of U.S. homes had internet access and you could hear the dial-up connection screeching its way in. From my home in rural Connecticut, I went on to found the Virtual Assistance industry – long before remote work was widely understood or trusted. That early start gave me a front-row seat to how the internet evolved… and how scammers evolved right along with it.
Over the years, that expertise has taken me places I never expected.
I’ve worked directly with the Federal Trade Commission. I assisted ABC News 20/20 in uncovering a major overseas work-from-home scam that was targeting American victims. I’ve helped Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Christie Brinkley, Dr. Oz, and other public figures take action against con artists who were using their names and faces to defraud people. I’ve created training programs for the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Armed Services. I’ve addressed the United Nations. And I founded, grew, and eventually sold Rat Race Rebellion – a site that helped millions of people find legitimate work and avoid the scams that prey on job seekers.
My work has been featured by ABC News, Good Morning America, CNN, NBC News, CBS News, NPR, CNBC, Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, AARP, and many others.
You can see the full record on the Grammy in the News page.
I’m not telling you any of that to impress you. I’m telling you because you deserve to know who’s talking to you – and why it matters.
Why Ask Grammy Exists
Scammers depend on three things: fear, embarrassment, and silence.
Ask Grammy exists to take all three away.
There are no silly questions here. No judgment. No shame for being unsure – because being unsure is exactly the right response when something feels off. That instinct is worth listening to, and I want to help you trust it.
What you will find here is plain English, honest answers, and real investigations into the scams and schemes that are targeting people right now. Not recycled warnings from five years ago – current, specific, and researched.
From Grammy to You
If something doesn’t feel right… if you’re not sure whether a message, an offer, or a phone call is legitimate… or if you just want to feel more confident and less afraid online – you’re in the right place.
I may not have all the answers. But when it comes to scams, I know what to look for.
And I’m here to help.
Warmly, Grammy (Christine “Chris” Durst)