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At the RSAC 2025 Conference, Ayelet Biger-Levin, CEO of RangersAI, the maker of AI-enhanced scam detection app ScamRanger, asked the audience who they believe are scammers’ most frequent targets. Immediately, several people shouted out, “The elderly!” After a beat, one participant replied, “Everyone.” Biger-Levin nodded in agreement. “Anyone can be a scam target,” she said, adding that it happens most often when we’re vulnerable. “Once criminals tap into our emotions,” she said, “the critical thinking is gone.”
Biger-Levin said the key to scam prevention is simple: Keep your personal information to yourself online. That means locking down your social media accounts, refraining from signing up for giveaways or contests, and using caution when talking to new people. Remember, if something is offered for free, you’re probably the product. That’s why it’s best to approach all online interactions with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Warning Signs You're Being Scammed
Biger-Levin offered a non-exhaustive list of red flags that a scam may be afoot. Be wary and don't respond immediately if you receive an ad, message, or phone call that:
- Requests your personal information.
- Requires you to install software or change a setting on your computer or device.
- Is unexpected and urgent, or otherwise time-sensitive.
- Offers you something too good to be true.
- Asks you to wire a payment or pay with gift cards.
- Is an unexpected contact with a celebrity or other public figure.
Scams come in all kinds of innovative packaging, from game-like tasks to elaborate crypto theft schemes. However, simple social engineering scams remain effective, so criminals use tried-and-tested techniques to lure victims.
(Credit: Ayelet Biger-Levin/RSAC)Biger-Levin shared a list of some of the most common online scams with RSAC Conference attendees, and you can view the full presentation here. I've added recommendations for combating these scams and links to scam-prevention tools.
Critical Device Infections
(Credit: Ayelet Biger-Levin/RSAC)If you see a random notification on your computer or mobile device telling you you’re infected with a virus, don’t interact with it. The pop-up window may contain malware-ridden links or direct you to call a phone number for a fake customer support line.
Luckily, this kind of scam is easy to dismiss. Just close your browser, or if the pop-up window is on your Windows desktop, press Ctrl + Alt + Del on the keyboard to open your computer’s task manager. Right-click on the pop-up window in your list of processes, and click End Task. If you have antivirus software installed on your computer or device (and you should), make sure it’s enabled.
Family Matters
(Credit: Ayelet Biger-Levin/RSAC)Stay alert when communicating with anyone on the internet, even people you know in real life. Audio and video deepfakes created with generative AI tools add a new, terrifying wrinkle to scam spotting.
If you get a surprise phone call from someone you know asking for an urgent money transfer, take a moment to slow the conversation down. If you’re on an audio call with a family member, request that the person hang up and call you back on a video call. Scammers want to extract as much money as possible from you as quickly as possible, so requiring them to call you back with a deepfake video may be too much trouble. Whatever you do, don’t send money to anyone you aren’t in contact with IRL.
One way to foil deepfake calls and messages is to unleash your inner spy: Use a passphrase or code word with your family members to verify it’s really them. A passphrase can be a short, silly sentence like “Never feed the Furby after midnight,” or some other inside joke or saying that only they would know.
Fake Love
(Credit: Ayelet Biger-Levin/RSAC)According to Biger-Levin, dating scams are the third most common online scam. I know romance blooms for everyone at different times and sometimes in unexpected ways. However, if you’ve never met your romantic partner and they want you to send them money for any reason, you’re not experiencing love—you’re being scammed.
You can avoid dating scams by taking online relationships offline as soon as possible. If your flirty chat partner can’t or doesn’t want to meet up with you within a few weeks, move on. Again, do not send money to anyone you’ve never met or don't know.
Miraculous Medicines
(Credit: Ayelet Biger-Levin/RSAC)Sometimes, you’ll see ads or receive text messages about revolutionary new treatments for various ailments. Resist the urge to click on the links, even out of curiosity. This is a sign of a particularly insidious scammer who preys on people desperate for medical care. The links in these messages and advertisements may take you to phishing sites that steal your personal information and payment details and then siphon money from your accounts before you can stop it.
This one’s easy: Just ignore the messages and block the sender. If you see many of these ads, try using an ad-blocking browser extension.
Winner, Winner, Scammy Dinner
(Credit: Ayelet Biger-Levin/RSAC)Check your inbox’s spam folder right now. How many of those emails claim you’re a winner? According to scammers, I’ve won three major cash prizes in just the past week. However, to claim my big wins, I’d have to wire money to prove my identity, upload my identification cards, or send over my bank account numbers. I’m sure you see where this is going.
Defend against these types of scams by not opening the emails and deleting these kinds of scam texts. Never respond to a scammer. Once they get your attention, they’ll use that opportunity to persuade you to send them information or money you don’t want to give away.
Social Media Snoops
(Credit: Ayelet Biger-Levin/RSAC)Whether they’re selling engagement, such as followers or likes, or posting fake charity drives, dodgy investment schemes, or illegitimate giveaways, scammers thrive on social media platforms, so stay wary.
Hover over links embedded in social media posts before clicking on them. Check that the address is for a legitimate website, and search the URL before clicking through to ensure it’s legit. You may even want to avoid the link and type the site’s address directly into your browser. It’s also a good idea to make your social media profiles private. That way, you’re less exposed to scammers in your DMs or comments.
A scammer’s job is to catch you off guard, so if you become a victim, don’t despair. Instead, report the scam immediately and follow our guide to recovering from online scams. Then, beef up your security so it won’t happen next time. Use multi-factor authentication to protect your online accounts, and get a password manager to generate and store long, unique passwords in instances where you can’t use a passkey. It may sound like a lot of effort, but the comfort of knowing that your accounts are safe, your data is protected, and you’re unlikely to get scammed again is worth it.