Based on common fraud prevention strategies, here are two key tips to avoid getting scammed:
Secure your online accounts with 2-step verification (2SV)
Turn on 2-step verification – also known as 2SV or 2FA – for your important accounts today.
Block unwanted calls and text messages. Take steps to block unwanted calls and to filter unwanted text messages. Don't give your personal or financial information in response to a request that you didn't expect.
Common Scams
10 tips to protect yourself from scams
A scam is designed to trick you into giving away your money, personal details, or data by offering an attractive deal or false information. Scammers could contact potential victims through various communication channels, such as phone calls, WhatsApp messages, SMSes, social media, and e-commerce platforms.
No, you can't get instantly hacked just by replying to a scammer's text, but you do confirm your number is active, making you a prime target for more sophisticated phishing, malware links, or social engineering attacks that can lead to a hack or identity theft later. Engaging opens the door for scammers to use basic info like your name to build trust and trick you into clicking dangerous links or revealing sensitive data, escalating the threat from a simple message to a full-blown security risk.
To scare a scammer, you could waste their time with silly responses, pretend to be an automated messenger, or resend them the messages they sent you. Report all text scams to the Federal Trade Commission's Report Fraud site, filter messages from unknown numbers, and avoid opting in on company sites.
Here are some of the most secure payment methods available online:
3 Excuses a Scammer Uses to Not Meet in Person
If you're a victim of monetary or identity theft:
Scammers use phrases that create urgency, fear, or excitement, demanding immediate action like "Act now!" or "Don't hang up," and often involve requests for gift cards or Bitcoin, combined with threats of account compromise or promises of huge rewards (e.g., "You've won!") to bypass logic. Key tactics include isolation ("Don't tell anyone"), emotional manipulation (love bombing, family emergencies), and unusual requests to move money in specific ways (Bitcoin ATMs, secret accounts).
The perpetrator is often referred to as a scammer, confidence man, con man, con artist, grifter, hustler, or swindler. The intended victims are known as marks, suckers, stooges, mugs, rubes, or gulls (from the word gullible). When accomplices are employed, they are known as shills.
35- to 44-year-olds were most likely to be exposed to and lose money from scams. However, median losses were highest for 18- to 24-year-olds at $155 per scam that resulted in a monetary loss.
To help, we've written 7 helpful tips for you.