How Scammers Try to Reach You

Scammers are getting more creative, but many of their tricks follow similar patterns. Knowing what to look for can help you avoid becoming a victim. Here are some common ways scammers reach out—and what you can do to protect yourself.

Red Flags

• You get contacted out of the blue
• It sounds too good to be true
• There is a sense of urgency or pressure to act immediately
• Errors in spelling and grammar
• Threatening and/or vulgar language
• Upfront investment or payment required
• Untraceable payment methods
• Asks for your personal information

Phone Call Scams

Common Trends and Examples

• Impersonation of government agencies (Social Security, IRS, Medicare)
• Threats of arrest or fines
• Urgent requests for money or personal information
• Caller says: This is the Social Security Administration. Your number has been suspended due to suspicious activity. Press 1 to speak with an officer.
• Callers insist you stay on the phone even while going to the bank

How to Check

• Government agencies don’t call you out of the blue or threaten arrest
• Hang up and call the official number directly
• Legit organizations give you time and written info before you commit

Good Habits

• Don’t answer unknown numbers
• Don’t trust caller ID—scammers can spoof numbers
• Never give personal information unless you initiated the call
• Use a call-blocking service or caller ID

Text Message (SMS) Scams

Common Trends and Examples

• Messages like “Your package is delayed” or “Verify your bank account” with a link
• Urgent or too-good-to-be-true messages
• Messages spoofed to look real
• Requests to reply “Yes” or “No”
• Fake package issues, unpaid tolls, fraud alerts, and lotteries

Good Habits

• Never click links or reply to suspicious texts
• Forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM)
• Report it in your messaging app
• Verify with companies directly using official websites or phone numbers

Email Scams

Common Trends and Examples

• Phishing emails asking to update passwords or billing info
• Fake invoices or delivery notices
• Impersonation of friends or companies
• Generic greetings, slight misspellings, and urgency in the first sentence
• Email domains like “@paypal-accounts.com” instead of “@paypal.com”

Good Habits

• Keep your email software updated
• Mark suspicious emails as spam and delete them
• Be skeptical of urgent messages
• Verify requests using trusted contact info
• Keep antivirus software up to date
• Talk to someone before taking action if unsure

Sources

• South Dakota Public Utilities Commission
• FTC: Phone Scams
• Wells Fargo Scam Spotters
• Georgia AG’s Consumer Protection Division
• Fortra Smishing Examples
• FTC Text Scams 2024
• FTC Phishing Guidance
• Pearl Hawaii: Scams on the Rise
• Norton Phishing Email Examples

This project was supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $320,449 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS or the U.S. Government.