Editorial — Be Prepared: How to spot Internet Scams
Jaedon Buchholz
March 15, 2026
One of the most significant risks that Americans face while using the modern internet are financial and identity theft scams.
This is perhaps obvious to say, but like the saying “easier said than done”, scams are easier discussed than actually prevented.
While I do local journalism for Waupun Pioneer News, I have a background in Information Technology, including Cybersecurity. This is a topic I’ve thought about writing about for some time, because it’s important to remind people of the dangers they may face while using the internet—on both computers and smart phones.
Internet scams are something that can’t be entirely avoided today, as scammers regularly develop new methods to contact potential victims. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t educate people to help prevent them from becoming victims, especially in our own communities.
Here’s an example:
Two years ago, a resident of New York State lost $22,000 to internet scammers claiming to sell muscle cars while impersonating a Waupun automotive business.
The victim had seen an ad on Facebook with images of a muscle car he had been interested in, and when he looked at the ad it was from a page that claimed to be Frens Automotive, and linked to a fictional website with stock photos, urging victims to call to put a deposit on suspiciously low priced cars.
I had written an article about this incident after the victim had called Waupun Pioneer News to share his story anonymously, to warn others of the scam. Frens Automotive was already aware of the fake account, and had already posted a warning to their own official Facebook page, which unfortunately the victim had not seen at the time.
By the time he realized the scam, the money could not be recovered.
This is a textbook internet scam that unfortunately impacted more than just the victims who lost money, but also the business they were impersonating. The scammers “borrow” trust from real businesses that if the victims aren’t skeptical enough would not look further than a Google search to confirm if it’s real.
And once they get their hooks in you, it might be over before you know it.
Now, internet scams come in all kinds of different forms, but the main methods they use are usually very similar. Some types of scams are associated with certain methods, but once you’re familiar with how common scams work you can hopefully spot and avoid them in the future if you ever encounter them.
Common types of scams:
• Phishing scams — A type of email scam where the attackers try to get you to send them your login credentials, or input your login credentials into a website they control. This may also come through texting, social media ads, or even compromised websites on Google! This is a whole range of scams, and can include impersonating account providers, your bank, or more.
• Tech support scams — The caller will claim that your device is compromised and they are a representative from Microsoft/Apple/Google/Amazon/Facebook/etc and can help you get access back to your account. They will ask for your login credentials and credit card information and try to steal your account to make illegitimate purchases, and if you let them into your computer they will install malware. Just hang up and block the number.
• Fake delivery notice — An increasingly common scam are text messages claiming there is a package out for delivery that you need to approve. This will take you to a fake website where you will be asked to put in your personal identifying information or login credentials to an account, which can be used for identity theft purposes. Delete these texts as they come up.
• Fake tax/debt relief — Another increasingly common scam are robo calls from organizations related to debt and tax relief saying that you have qualified for their program. Of course, this program does not exist, but it preys on people looking for a lifeline.
• Suspicious product ads — As stated in the story above, another common scam includes fake sales promoted on social media. Some social media platforms don’t do enough to combat spam, and even allow scams to remain for weeks and impact many people before being taken down. Always be wary of ads with generic information from places you are not familiar with. This can range from stock photos of desirable products, to AI generated photos, to even links to food recipes—but they don’t actually exist and no amount of pleading or money will get them to arrive.
• Impersonating law enforcement — Perhaps the scariest type of scams, these calls claim that there is a warrant for your arrest if you do not pay a large fine to them over the phone. This might be a call claiming to be from the IRS that you have significant unpaid taxes, or that you missed jury duty at your local sheriff’s office. Law enforcement does not work this way, and if you get a call like this, hang up immediately. If they are impersonating local officers, consider calling the real number of your local law enforcement to report the scam.
Methods of contact (How scammers connect with you):
• Random phone calls — Cold calls are probably one of the most common vectors for scams like this. It’s easy, it’s cheap, and thousands of calls can be made for a single victim to pick up. But they’re only looking for that one person they can sink their claws into.
• Direct messages from unknown accounts — This is an increasingly common method of attack due to lax enforcement on social media platforms. If you are a member of a public group, spam accounts may send you a strange message with a link asking for your opinion on something. Block and ignore these messages.
• Website popups and fake alerts — One of the scarier methods that’s been around for a while are fake popups and alerts. This is most commonly associated with tech support scams, and happens when you open a website controlled by the scammers. The scammers design a website that mimics Microsoft or Apple, and play a loud alarm and robotic voice claiming your device is compromised and you need to call their support number (which in reality is just their scam number). Just shut down your device and it will go away, and avoid that link in the future.
Red flags (What to be on the lookout for):
• Sense of urgency — The most important tool in the arsenal of scammers is creating a sense of urgency in the victim. This makes the victim less likely to think about their actions and do as the scammers say without critical thinking. This tactic can be used in many different ways across all different types of scams, but when you get a phone call like this and they try to rush you into giving them something—stop and think about what is actually happening.
• Foreign accents — The majority of internet scammers are based in overseas call centers, typically in countries that do not investigate overseas fraud. The most common sources are countries such as India, Pakistan, and Nigeria, due to the higher proportions of English speakers. If these scammers can successfully steal a few thousand dollars from an American, that money goes a much longer way in their home countries. American law enforcement can do very little about scammers in other countries, which is why they target Americans.
• Unusual requests — The first thing scammers typically do is ask for your passwords or credit card information. They may ask you to take out money in strange methods, such as buying large gift cards or cryptocurrency. They may also ask you to withdraw a large amount of money from your bank and lie about its purpose. These are things that legitimate businesses would NEVER do.
Protecting yourself (Ways to reduce contact and impact from scams):
• Call filtering — If the feature is available on your smart phone, enable “call filtering” which will require all unknown numbers to leave a message before connecting. If it’s a legitimate call, you can accept the call or call back after the message.
• Disable messages from unknown accounts — If you use social media apps, disable direct messages except for friends, and deny all friend requests from people you do not know. Set your account settings to private as much as possible to prevent scammers from gaining information about you and your habits that they may be able to exploit.
• Be careful about websites you visit — Use only legitimate, well known websites and be careful of links taking you to places you are not familiar with. Don’t click on ads for products that seem too good to be true, and don’t click on links sent from or posted by random accounts on social media.
• Keep passwords secret — No legitimate business will ask for your password over the phone, and do not enter your passwords directly into a link from a questionable source.
• Set up Two-Factor Authentication — Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) or Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a common authentication method for websites to confirm the person logging into the account is actually you. Setting up 2FA will provide a code that only the website and your phone know, and should never be given to someone over the phone. This way, even if a malicious actor gets your password they won’t be able to log in to the accounts with 2FA set up.
If you are the victim of a scam and give away any personal information, time is of the essence. The first place to go is your bank, where they can help you block fraudulent charges to your accounts, cancel cards, and lock down your credit. For compromised accounts, change your passwords and consider closing them if necessary. If the scammers acquired your personal identification, you may want to consider filing a police report for identity theft to prevent it from impacting your credit.
If you aren’t sure if a call or email is a scam, get a second opinion from someone you know before giving any information. A legitimate business should never get mad if you get a second opinion, but scammers will try to scare you into acting without thinking.
You should never trust someone you don’t know over the phone over someone you can see in front of you. If you are the victim of a potential scam or identity theft, go to your bank right away. Be honest with the people around you, and do not hide what you are doing or lie about what the people on the phone said or got you to do.
Keep in mind, this article is not an exhaustive list of every type of scam out there, or even every method they may use to scam you. But these are the most common types that you may encounter and some quick ways to help prevent you from becoming the victim of a scam in the future.
Scams evolve every day, and the best defense against them is healthy skepticism. Anyone can fall victim if they’re not vigilant.
If you found this article informative, please share with those who may be vulnerable to internet scams so that they can be prepared the next time something just doesn’t feel right. Talk to people you trust about protecting yourselves from internet scams to prevent you from becoming another victim.
