How to identify a scammer online and over the phone

The days of scammers being easy to spot are long over. According to the FTC, U.S. consumers lost $15.9 billion to fraudulent schemes in 2025 alone — and AI is making things worse.

Gen Digital’s Malware Research Director, Jakub Křoustek, warns that “attacks utilizing AI-generated techniques, such as scams via phone calls or deepfake videos, are becoming increasingly common, further complicating the threat environment.”

But you’re not defenseless against scams, whether they’re AI-powered or not— you just need to know what to look out for. Discover the universal warning signs of a scam and some specific tactics scammers use.

Warning signs you’re dealing with a scammer

Whether they make contact via phone call, email, text, or another method, scammers generally rely on the same tried-and-tested tricks to catch people off guard. These are common signs that you’re dealing with a scammer.

1. They make unsolicited contact

An unexpected phone call or email from someone requesting your information should raise red flags. Generally speaking, you’ll only ever need to give information to people, companies, or organizations you’ve initiated contact with. If there’s no reason for them to have reached out to you, contact should ring immediate alarm bells.

If someone contacts you out of the blue asking for information and you think it may be a legitimate request, contact the person or organization they’re claiming to represent through an official, verified channel to confirm. Don’t provide any personal or sensitive data to anyone you don’t know or trust.

2. They claim to be a trusted agency or company

In impersonation scams, a fraudster poses as a trusted organization to trick you into providing personal information or money.

According to the FTC, the most impersonated businesses include Best Buy’s Geek Squad tech support brand, Amazon, and PayPal. Criminals posing as these companies will often claim you owe money, your account has been compromised, or there’s an urgent issue that needs your immediate attention.

Other scammers might pose as government agencies including the IRS and the Social Security Administration (SSA), often insisting you owe money and will face penalties if you don’t act quickly. In reality, legitimate government agencies will almost always make first contact via mail, not a high-pressure phone call, text, or email demanding immediate action.

3. They contact you from a suspicious number or email

You’ve likely received calls from unknown numbers before. Sometimes, the call may be harmless, if annoying, spam from a telemarketing company. But, other times, a call from an unfamiliar number can be the start of a scam.

As a rule of thumb, if you don’t recognize a number, don’t pick up — unless you’re expecting to be contacted. Even then, the caller will almost certainly leave a voicemail if it’s important.

Equally, scam emails often come from addresses that aren’t quite right. The sender’s name might say “Amazon” or “IRS,” but the actual email address will include random letters or numbers, or a subtly misspelled domain name, like @amaz0n.com instead of @amazon.com. Always check the full sender address before clicking any links or responding.

But don’t relax completely if your email client or phone’s caller ID system shows a trustworthy name or email address. Scammers can use email or caller ID spoofing to disguise their real contact information, making it appear as though a local number or legitimate organization like your bank is reaching out. If you’re unsure, rely on other warning signs in this list.

4. They create a false sense of urgency

Scammers often display a sense of urgency to trick you into quickly providing personal information without thinking. Scam emails, calls, or messages may include phrases such as “Your account will be suspended if you don’t act now,” “Immediate action required to avoid penalties,” or “You’ve won a prize, but you need to claim it right away.”

Other scams might try to impersonate a friend or family member in trouble and ask for immediate help with some personal crisis. While receiving these calls is alarming, don’t be tricked into providing information. Instead, call the individual directly to confirm their safety and whereabouts.

5. The messages are automated or scripted

Automated message phone calls or clearly scripted emails are a big warning sign that you’re dealing with a scammer. The former scam type, also known as robocall scams, may use AI technology to make the voice sound convincing.

One particularly popular variation of an automated phone scam involves the scammer using a pre-recorded voice clip to trick people into saying the word “yes.” The scammer can then use a recording of your voice to agree to a contract, authorize transactions, or even target your loved ones with follow-up scams.

6. The offer is too good to be true

Scammers may try to entice you into acting without thinking by promoting incredible opportunities or deals, like a free vacation, a dream job, or an unbelievable product discount.

Fake online shops are a particularly common tactic, with a Gen Threat Report finding that over 65% of social media-originated scams point towards one. When evaluating any offer, remember the old saying, ‘If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is’.

7. They request money or personal information

One of the clearest signs of a scam is being asked for money or personal information before anything is delivered. Whether it’s a prize, debt relief, or a job opportunity, scammers will often ask you to pay an upfront fee or hand over personally identifiable information like your name, Social Security number, or account number to claim it.

That information can then be sold on the dark web or used to commit identity theft or credit card fraud. Be wary of any unsolicited requests for payment or personal information, especially if the sender is pressuring you to respond immediately.

9 common scams to look out for

Now that you know what to look out for to identify a scammer if you’re targeted, here are some of the most common scam types and how they typically work. Together, this knowledge can help you spot any scam threat that heads your way to keep your finances and identity safer.

1. Phishing

Phishing scams use fraudulent emails, texts, or websites to trick you into handing over sensitive information like passwords or credit card numbers. According to the FTC, imposter scams are a particularly common type of phishing, with the scammer pretending to be a legitimate entity like your bank or a popular retailer and including a link to a fake website that looks like the real thing.

2. Online shopping scams

Fake online stores lure you in with heavily discounted products, only to take your payment and never deliver. These sites can look convincing, with professional designs and stolen product images, but a closer look often reveals vague contact information, no return policy, or an unusual payment method. These fake e-shop scams tend to surge around Black Friday and the holiday shopping season.

3. Investment and crypto scams

Investment scams promise high returns with little to no risk, often using cryptocurrency as the vehicle. According to the FTC, Americans lost more than $7.9 billion to investment scams in 2025, with the typical victim losing over $10,000.

Crypto is particularly appealing to scammers because transactions are anonymous and irreversible, leaving victims with few options to recover their funds. Cryptocurrency scammers may pose as financial advisors or successful investors and use fake testimonials or fabricated results to build trust before convincing you to hand over your money.

4. Job scams

Fake job listings and application scams are designed to collect personal information or upfront payments from people actively looking for work. A common version involves being offered a position without an interview, then being asked to pay for training, equipment, or a background check before you ever start.

As Luis Corrons, a security analyst at Gen, notes in a report about job scams, scammers deliberately go after “job seekers or victims in need of money who may be more prone to falling for the scam.”

5. Fake prizes and giveaways

These scams notify you that you've won a prize, lottery, or sweepstakes, but to claim it, you’ll need to pay a fee or provide personal information first. Legitimate contests don’t require winners to pay anything up front, so any request for payment is a sure sign that something is off.

6. Tech support scams

Tech support scams typically start when a device is infected with malware that triggers pop-up warnings claiming there’s a virus or security issue, but these scams can also be launched with an unsolicited phone call.

The so-called technician will ask for remote access to your computer or payment to fix a problem that doesn't exist, and may use that access to steal your data or install additional spyware. In one case, an elderly Memphis woman lost over $37,000 after a pop-up appeared on her computer with a phone number claiming to be Microsoft.

7. Social media scams

Social media scams range from fake giveaways and phishing links to impersonation accounts that pose as people you know. Scammers also use direct messages to build fake relationships and eventually ask for money or personal information.

These scams are increasingly common. Americans lost over $2.1 billion to social media scams in 2025, according to the FTC. While virtually all platforms are vulnerable, scams on Facebook accounted for the vast majority (78%) of scams blocked by Gen, according to the Q4/2025 Threat Report.

8. Dating scams

In online dating scams, fraudsters create fake profiles on dating apps or social media to build a relationship with their target over time. Once they establish trust, they’ll create a crisis, like a medical emergency or a travel problem, to ask for money. According to the 2025 Norton Cyber Safety Insight Report, one in four online daters reports being targeted by a dating scam.

9. Tax and IRS scams

Tax scams typically spike around tax season, with fraudsters impersonating IRS agents to claim you owe back taxes and threatening arrest or legal action if you don’t pay immediately. A study by The Kaplan Group found that Americans lost more than $5.7 million to tax-related scams in just the first few months of 2025.

It’s worth knowing that the IRS will always contact you by mail first, so any unsolicited call or email demanding immediate payment is a scam.

Tips to help you avoid being scammed

It’s one thing to know how to spot a scam, but it’s much harder to have faith that you’ll never slip up. Given the threat that scams can pose to your finances and identity, it’s well worth knowing what else you can you do to protect yourself, beyond learning the warning signs

Follow these scam-dodging best practices at all times to help reduce the risk that scammers catch you out, and increase your odds of preventing identity theft:

• Verify contact directly: If someone contacts you claiming to be from a company or trustworthy organization but you’re suspicious, end the call and reach out directly through their official website or a verified number.
• Think before you click: Avoid opening emails from unfamiliar senders, and never click links or download attachments unless you're sure they're from a trustworthy source.
• Take your time: Scammers rely on creating a sense of pressure to make you act impulsively. If a message feels tailored to sound urgent or threatening, slow down and verify that the request is legitimate before doing anything.
• Use call and spam filters: Call-blocking apps and spam filters can help reduce the number of unsolicited calls and messages you receive in the first place, limiting your vulnerability to scams.
• Limit what you share online: The more personal information you have publicly available, the easier it is for scammers to target you. Review your social media privacy settings regularly and try to minimize your digital footprint by removing information from data broker websites.
• Set up multi-factor authentication: Adding an extra layer of security to your accounts makes it harder for scammers to gain access, even if they get hold of your password.

What to do if you've been scammed

If you accidentally gave a scammer your personal information or money, acting quickly can help limit the damage. Here's what to do if you’ve been scammed:

1. Contact your bank and financial institutions: Notify them as soon as possible so they can flag suspicious activity, stop pending transactions, or issue new account numbers if needed.
2. Protect your credit: If you gave away sensitive information that could be used in credit fraud, use a fraud alert or credit freeze to protect your file. A fraud alert is a warning on your credit report that tells lenders to verify your identity before opening new accounts. A credit freeze helps stop anyone from opening new accounts in your name.
3. Keep an eye on your financial accounts: Regularly check for unusual activity or unauthorized transactions. Consider setting up automated alerts for suspicious activity to help you catch potential signs of financial fraud.
4. Change your passwords: Update your login credentials for any potentially compromised accounts, using strong, unique passwords that are hard to crack or guess.
5. Report the scam: Report the scam to the FTC and any other relevant authorities. Depending on what happened and whether you lost money, you can also contact the police.
6. Invest in identity theft protection: An identity theft protection service can help you monitor your personal information and alert you to suspicious activity in the aftermath of a scam.

Join LifeLock for scam protection

Understanding how scams work makes it easier to navigate the minefield of potential threats more confidently. For additional reassurance, join LifeLock to help reduce your online exposure with an automatic data broker removal tool, protect against financial losses with up to $5,000 in scam reimbursement, and monitor for signs of identity theft online and in your credit file.

FAQs

What is a scammer?

Online and phone scammers are individuals who intentionally deceive people to gain access to their personal information or money. If they steal information, scammers can sell it on the dark web or commit identity theft.

How does a scammer know my name and address?

Scammers can exploit publicly available data like voter registration records or people-search sites to obtain names and addresses. If a scammer has your address and name, they can use them for delivery scams or even doxxing.

What do I do if I sent a picture of my ID to a scammer?

Report that your ID has been compromised to the relevant office (e.g., the Department of Motor Vehicles if it was your driver’s license). You should also file a police report and place a fraud alert or freeze your credit.

What are some common phrases that scammers use?

Scammers tend to rely on urgency and secrecy to push you into acting before you think. Common phrases include “act now or face consequences,” “you've been selected for a prize,” “we need to verify your account,” and “don't tell anyone about this.” If something feels designed to rush or isolate you, that's your signal to stop and verify.