Hey there, phone lovers and social media scrollers! Do you have a phone? Are you on social media? Congratulations, you’ve probably been contacted by a scammer recently! 🎉

Scammers are the annoying mosquitoes of the digital world. They buzz around, looking for their next victim to sting. In fact, according to last year’s fraud reports to the FTC, more people said they were contacted by scammers via text than any other way. It’s like the scammers got an unlimited texting plan and decided to share it with everyone!

These text messages often masquerade as important-sounding alerts from businesses or the government. “Your package needs a signature!” “Loan application approved!” “Unpaid toll alert!” It’s all as fake as a unicorn in a petting zoo.

But wait, there’s more! Scammers also love making phone calls. Whether it’s “Congratulations, you’ve won a prize!” or “You need to move your money to protect it,” these calls are just another way scammers try to empty your wallet. Last year, people reported losing a lot of money to these phone scams, proving that these fraudsters are more persistent than a telemarketer during dinner.

Social media isn’t safe either. In fact, it’s the Wild West of scam central. From shady job offers to “guaranteed” investment opportunities, these scams are as fake as the profiles promoting them. Sometimes these scams even start with a romantic twist, but it’s just a ploy to pull on your heartstrings—and your purse strings!

So, what do you do if you get an unexpected text, call, or shady social media message? Here are some top tips to keep you scam-free:

  • Report and delete unwanted texts: Use your phone’s “report junk” option or forward those pesky messages to 7726 (SPAM). Then hit delete faster than you can say “not today, scammer!”

  • Report unwanted calls: If you didn’t lose any money but want to report a call, visit DoNotCall.gov. On the off chance you’ve lost money or have juicy details about the scammer, spill the beans to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

  • Spot scammers on social media: If someone messages you about a job offer or a surefire investment, stop, drop, and roll—wait, wrong advice. Just stop and check it out before you engage. Look out for fake profiles trying to woo you or reel you in.

And for more scam-busting tips, follow the FTC on Facebook, Instagram, and X @FTC. Because when it comes to scams, knowledge truly is power!

For more details, check out the original article at FTC’s website.

Original article: https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/05/how-are-scammers-trying-reach-you