Scams
Scams aren't about technology — they're about pressure. Every one of them tries to make you feel that something urgent is happening and you must act right now. Learn to recognize the rush, and you've learned to recognize the scam.
If something wants you to act fast, slow down.
No real bank, government office, or company needs you to act in the next ten minutes. Only scammers do.
Fake emails ("phishing")
These look like they're from your bank, Amazon, Medicare, or the post office. They say something alarming — a package couldn't be delivered, your account is locked, a payment failed — and give you a link to "fix" it. The link leads to a fake site that captures whatever you type.
The tells, once you know them, are consistent:
- It creates urgency. "Within 24 hours." "Immediately." "Or your account will be closed."
- It asks you to click a link to sign in. Real companies rarely do this.
- The sender's address is almost right.
- "service [at] amazon-billing.net" is not Amazon.
- "noreply [at] rnicrosoft.com" is not Microsoft (notice the r and n)
- "cindy918 [at] hotmail.com" is definitely not the IRS
The safe habit
Never sign in from a link in an email or text. If a message says something's wrong with an account, close it, and go to the company's website the way you always do — type the address, or use your bookmark or their app. If something is genuinely wrong, it will be waiting for you there.
Scam texts ("smishing")
Same trick, by text message: an unpaid toll, a package fee, a bank alert, or a "wrong number" message from a friendly stranger who wants to chat. Delete them. Your bank will never ask for your password or a code by text, and no toll authority collects fees this way. If they really need to bill you, you'll hear through the USPS.
A quiet trick your password manager plays on scammers
Here's a nice bonus if you use a password manager: it fills your password in by recognizing the website. A fake site can fool your eyes — it cannot fool the manager. If you land somewhere and the password doesn't fill in like usual, treat that as an alarm bell. Stop and look at the address.
Phone calls and gift cards
The phone version adds a voice — "Microsoft support," "your grandson in trouble," "the IRS." The moment anyone on a call asks you to buy gift cards, move money "to keep it safe," or stay on the line while you do — it's a scam, every time. Hang up. If you're worried it might be real, call the family member or the company back at a number you already have.
(Fun fact: if you get a call from someone claiming to be from the government, tell them they are violating US Code Title 18 Section 912, which makes it illegal to impersonate a government agent, and if they call again you'll report them to the FBI. Then hang up. This trick should get you off of their list quickly.)
No legitimate business or government agency accepts payment in gift cards. That request alone is proof of a scam.
If you think you slipped
It happens to sharp people every day, and speed matters more than embarrassment. Change the password on the affected account, call your bank if money or card numbers are involved, and tell someone you trust. Nobody who loves you will think less of you — these scams work because they're good (and constantly getting better), not because you're careless.