From AI voice scams to fake giveaways, here are 10 online scams you’re most likely to encounter in 2025 — and how to protect yourself from each one.
📆 Scams Are Evolving — Are You Ready?
Every year, scammers find new ways to trick people out of money, data, or access to their accounts. In 2025, scams are smarter, more personalized, and often powered by AI.
The good news? If you know what to look for, you can avoid the most common traps.
Here are 10 scams you’re most likely to see this year, and how to spot (and stop) them before it’s too late.
- AI Voice Cloning Scams
Scammers use AI to clone the voice of someone you know — a family member, friend, or boss — and call you asking for urgent help or money.
⚠️ Red flag: “Mom, I’m in trouble. Please don’t tell anyone. Just send me the money.”
How to protect yourself:
- Use a family safe word for emergencies
- Always hang up and call the person directly
- Phishing Emails That Look Legit
Phishing emails now mimic real companies with perfect branding and logos, tricking you into clicking malicious links.
⚠️ “Your Netflix account has been suspended. Click here to update your billing info.”
How to protect yourself:
- Check the email address, not just the sender name
- Don’t click suspicious links — go to the site directly
- Look for misspellings and urgent, threatening language
- Fake Job Offers
You apply for a job online and receive a “congrats!” email — followed by a request for your ID, bank details, or an upfront payment for training.
⚠️ “We’re excited to offer you a remote job! Just send $40 for your training kit.”
How to protect yourself:
- Research the company and job poster
- Never pay to apply or onboard
- Be cautious if it sounds too good to be true
- Romance Scams
Scammers build online relationships, gain your trust, and eventually ask for money due to some fake “emergency.”
⚠️ “I love you — but I need help getting out of this legal situation.”
How to protect yourself:
- Be wary of relationships that move quickly
- Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person
- Reverse-image search their profile photos
- Giveaway & Contest Scams on Social Media
You’re tagged in a post that says you’ve won a prize — just click the link or share your details to claim it.
⚠️ “Congrats! You’ve won a $500 Amazon gift card. Claim it here 👉
How to protect yourself:
- Verify giveaways on the official brand account
- Don’t enter contests by DMs or unknown links
- Never share personal info or passwords to claim a prize
- “Tech Support” Scams
A fake pop-up says your device is infected, or someone claiming to be from Microsoft or Apple calls you offering help.
⚠️ “Your computer has been compromised. Call this number now!”
How to protect yourself:
- Close suspicious pop-ups — don’t click anything
- Tech companies don’t call you out of the blue
- Don’t give strangers remote access to your device
- Fake Investment Opportunities
Social media influencers (real or fake) promise guaranteed profits from crypto, stocks, or “AI trading bots.”
⚠️ “I turned $250 into $2,500 in 3 days. DM me to learn how!”
How to protect yourself:
- Be wary of get-rich-quick schemes
- Don’t invest via DMs or unverified platforms
- Always research before you send money
- Delivery Text Scams
A fake SMS says there’s a problem with your delivery — and asks you to click a link and enter your payment info.
⚠️ “Your parcel is on hold. Pay $1.99 to release it.”
How to protect yourself:
- Don’t click on delivery links from unknown senders
- Check tracking directly with the courier’s official site
- Look for slight misspellings (e.g., “FedExx” or “DHL-express”)
- Fake Rental Listings
You find a great deal on a rental property — but the landlord wants a deposit before you’ve even seen it in person.
⚠️ “This place is in high demand. Send a deposit to secure it now.”
How to protect yourself:
- Never send money before seeing a property
- Be suspicious of landlords who refuse phone or video calls
- Cross-check listings on multiple platforms
- Impersonation of Friends or Family on Social Media
You get a message from someone you know — but it’s actually a cloned or hacked account asking for money or sensitive info.
⚠️ “Hey, can you help me out? I’m stuck and need money fast.”
How to protect yourself:
- Call or message the person via another method to confirm
- Report the impersonated profile
- Use two-factor authentication to protect your own account
Scammers rely on urgency, trust, and emotion to trick you. But by staying alert, skeptical, and informed, you can avoid becoming a victim.
When in doubt — slow down, double-check, and don’t click.
Your best defense isn’t tech — it’s awareness.
