Outsmart the Scammers
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- 10 Aug, 2025
That buzz in your pocket or ping in your inbox could be a friend, or it could be yet another pesky scammer. If it feels like you’re dodging digital curveballs daily, you’re not alone. Many of us are: a big chunk of U.S. adults (68%) get scam phone calls weekly, and 63% get scam emails [1]. This guide skips the tech-speak to show you the simple ways to spot these tricks.
The 5 Most Common Tricks to Spot
- The “Urgent Package Problem” Text: That message claiming a delivery issue, pushing you to click a strange link to ‘reschedule’ and steal your info.
- The “You’ve Won!” Surprise: An email promising a prize for a contest you never entered, asking for personal details or a small fee to claim your ‘winnings’.
- The Phishing Email Disguise: A fake alert from a service you use (like a bank or Netflix) with a link to a lookalike website designed to capture your password.
- The Grandparent/Friend-in-Need Plea: An emotional message claiming a loved one is in trouble and needs money wired immediately, relying on panic to prevent you from checking.
- The Romance Scam: A slow-building online relationship where the other person eventually starts asking for money for emergencies, flights, or other fabricated needs.
Why It Matters: Your Wallet & Peace of Mind
Dodging these digital traps is about more than just avoiding annoyance—it’s about protecting your hard-earned money and your peace of mind. Scammers are after real cash, and they’re surprisingly successful. In fact, over three-quarters of U.S. adults (73%) have experienced at least one type of online scam or attack [1]. For Americans aged 50 and older, the financial toll is staggering: they lost an estimated $1.8 billion to internet scams in 2020 alone [2]. These aren’t victimless pranks; they are calculated attempts to exploit trust, and anyone can be a target. Knowing the stakes helps reinforce why a little bit of caution goes a long, long way in keeping your information and your bank account safe from harm.
Scams by the Numbers
- The average person loses about $545 per scam incident [3].
- Romance scams hit hard: older adults alone lost around $139 million to these in one year [2].
- Even though scammers target everyone, 15% of folks aged 65 and older have reported losing money to an online scam [1].
- Your privacy matters: nine out of ten Americans say their online privacy is important to them [4].
- Many feel tech companies hold too much power over their personal information—about two-thirds of global consumers agree [4].
A Word from the Wise
If you spend more on coffee than on IT security, you will be hacked. What you are doing is like having a luxury car and leaving the key in the ignition. — Stephane Nappo, VP Global CISO
Your Simple & Powerful Safety Checklist
- Pause Before You Click: Scammers rely on urgency. Take a breath and examine any message asking for immediate action or personal info.
- Use a Password Manager: Create strong, unique passwords for every site without having to remember them all. This is one of the most important internet security best practices [5].
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA/MFA): This extra layer of security, often a code sent to your phone, is another crucial best practice [5].
- Trust Your Gut: If an email, text, or offer feels weird or too good to be true, it probably is. Just delete it.
- Verify Independently: If a company contacts you about a problem, don’t use the links or numbers they provide. Go to their official website or call a known number.
- Don’t Overshare Online: Scammers use details from social media to make their attacks more convincing. Keep personal details private.
What’s Next for Digital Scams?
Scammers will always find new tools, from AI-generated emails to more convincing deepfake voice calls. But here’s the good news: while their methods may get fancier, their game plan stays the same. They will always try to rush you, scare you, or excite you into making a mistake. That means your best defense today will still be your best defense tomorrow. A healthy dose of skepticism is future-proof. The simple habit of pausing, thinking, and verifying before you click or share will always be the most powerful security software you can have. Technology will change, but the value of trusting your gut won’t.
At the end of the day, keeping your digital life secure isn’t about becoming a cybersecurity expert. It’s about recognizing that you’re smarter than the scammers want you to believe. By simply knowing their common plays and building a few easy habits—like using a password manager and thinking twice before you click that link—you build a powerful defense. So go ahead and enjoy your corner of the internet. With a little bit of awareness, you have everything you need to browse, shop, and connect with confidence, leaving the scammers out in the cold.
