Scam Hub
Ultimate Scam Hub: 150 Types of Scams & How to Protect Yourself
Last Updated: September 2025
The most comprehensive scam protection resource available - covering everything from emerging AI scams to classic fraud tactics.
Table of Contents
- 2024-2025 Emerging Scams
- Digital & Online Scams
- Financial & Investment Scams
- Identity Theft & Impersonation
- Romance & Relationship Scams
- Employment & Business Scams
- Real Estate & Property Scams
- Health & Medical Scams
- Technology & Cryptocurrency Scams
- Shopping & E-Commerce Scams
- Senior Citizen Targeted Scams
- Charity & Disaster Relief Scams
- Additional Consumer & Business Scams
ScamWatchHQ
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Emerging Scams (2024-2025)
1. Quantum Computing Investment Scams
What It Is: Fraudsters exploit the hype around quantum computing to lure investors into fake quantum technology companies or investment schemes promising revolutionary returns.
Warning Signs:
- Promises of guaranteed high returns on "quantum technology"
- Pressure to invest quickly before opportunity closes
- Complex technical jargon to confuse investors
- Unregistered investment opportunities
- No verifiable company information or track record
How to Protect Yourself:
- Research any investment through SEC's database
- Consult with a licensed financial advisor
- Be skeptical of "ground-floor opportunities"
- Verify the company's actual quantum computing credentials
- Never invest money you can't afford to lose
Average Loss: $15,000 - $250,000
2. Space Tourism Scams
What It Is: With growing interest in commercial space travel, scammers create fake space tourism packages or investment opportunities in non-existent space ventures.
Warning Signs:
- Unrealistically low prices for space tourism
- No affiliation with known space companies (SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic)
- Requests for full payment upfront
- No physical office or verifiable business address
- Pressure to book immediately
How to Protect Yourself:
- Only book through established space tourism companies
- Verify company credentials with aerospace authorities
- Use credit cards for purchases (better fraud protection)
- Research customer reviews from multiple sources
- Be wary of "early bird" discounts that seem too good
Average Loss: $50,000 - $500,000
3. Digital Twin Scams
What It Is: Exploiting the Industry 4.0 concept of digital twins, scammers offer fake services to create digital replicas of physical assets, charging for non-existent or ineffective solutions.
Warning Signs:
- Claims of creating digital twins without proper assessment
- No demonstration of existing work or portfolio
- Vague explanations of the technology
- Upfront payment required for "software licensing"
- No ongoing support or maintenance plans
How to Protect Yourself:
- Work only with established industrial tech companies
- Request case studies and references
- Start with a small pilot project
- Ensure proper contracts with deliverables
- Verify the company's technical expertise
Average Loss: $25,000 - $150,000
4. AI Voice Cloning Scams
What It Is: Scammers use artificial intelligence to clone voices of family members, executives, or trusted individuals to authorize payments, transfers, or extract sensitive information.
Warning Signs:
- Urgent requests for money or information via phone
- Unusual background noise or slight voice irregularities
- Requests to bypass normal verification procedures
- Pressure to act immediately without verification
- Instructions not to tell others
How to Protect Yourself:
- Establish a family "safe word" for emergencies
- Verify identity through a different communication channel
- Be skeptical of urgent financial requests
- Listen for unnatural pauses or robotic cadence
- Call back on a known, trusted number
Average Loss: $5,000 - $100,000
5. Pig Butchering Scams
What It Is: A long-term investment fraud combining romance and cryptocurrency scams where scammers "fatten up" victims with fake relationships before convincing them to invest in fraudulent platforms.
Warning Signs:
- Attractive stranger contacts you randomly
- Quick progression to intimate conversations
- Introduction of investment opportunities after trust is built
- Cryptocurrency or forex trading platforms you've never heard of
- Initial small "returns" that seem too good
- Inability to withdraw funds when you try
How to Protect Yourself:
- Be skeptical of unsolicited romantic interest
- Never invest based on online relationship advice
- Research any investment platform thoroughly
- Don't send money to people you've never met
- Use reverse image searches on profile photos
Average Loss: $50,000 - $500,000+ (often life savings)
6. Deepfake Scams
What It Is: Scammers use deepfake technology to create realistic videos or audio recordings of individuals for extortion, manipulation, or fraud.
Warning Signs:
- Video or audio messages requesting unusual actions
- Slight facial or voice inconsistencies
- Urgent requests without proper verification
- Requests to bypass normal security protocols
- Threats involving manipulated media
How to Protect Yourself:
- Verify unusual requests through alternative channels
- Look for visual glitches or unnatural movements
- Use multi-factor authentication on all accounts
- Limit personal media shared publicly
- Establish verification protocols with family/colleagues
Average Loss: $10,000 - $75,000 (extortion) or business losses in millions
7. NFT and Digital Art Scams
What It Is: Fraudulent activities in the NFT space including fake marketplaces, rug pulls (creators abandon projects), wash trading to inflate values, and counterfeit NFT collections.
Warning Signs:
- Anonymous creators with no track record
- Promises of guaranteed value appreciation
- Pressure to buy quickly due to "limited supply"
- No clear roadmap or utility for the NFT
- Suspicious trading activity (same wallets buying/selling)
- Requests to connect wallet to unknown sites
How to Protect Yourself:
- Research creators and their previous work
- Use established NFT marketplaces only
- Never share your seed phrase
- Verify smart contract addresses
- Be skeptical of celebrity endorsements
- Understand what you're actually buying
Average Loss: $500 - $50,000
8. Quishing (QR Code Phishing)
What It Is: Malicious QR codes that lead to phishing sites, auto-subscribing services, or malware downloads. Often placed over legitimate QR codes in public spaces.
Warning Signs:
- QR codes on unsolicited mail or emails
- QR stickers that appear to be placed over original codes
- URLs that don't match the expected destination
- Requests for personal information immediately after scanning
- Downloads that start automatically
How to Protect Yourself:
- Preview URLs before visiting (most phones show this)
- Don't scan QR codes from unknown sources
- Check if QR code stickers appear tampered with
- Use QR scanner apps with security features
- Type URLs manually for sensitive transactions
- Keep your phone's OS and apps updated
Average Loss: $500 - $5,000
9. Autonomous Vehicle Hacking Scams
What It Is: As self-driving cars become more prevalent, scammers claim to offer "protection services" against autonomous vehicle hacking, exploiting fears around this new technology.
Warning Signs:
- Unsolicited offers for "AV security systems"
- Fear-based marketing about hacking risks
- Requests for vehicle VIN or access codes
- No verifiable company credentials
- Products that claim to "hack-proof" your vehicle
How to Protect Yourself:
- Only use security updates from vehicle manufacturers
- Don't install third-party "security" software on vehicles
- Keep vehicle software updated through official channels
- Be skeptical of fear-based sales tactics
- Consult with authorized dealers about security
Average Loss: $500 - $5,000
10. Holographic Will Scams
What It Is: Fraudsters offer services to create "holographic wills" using advanced technology, charging high fees for ultimately non-legal or non-binding documents.
Warning Signs:
- Claims that technology makes wills more "secure"
- Significantly higher fees than traditional estate planning
- Promises that bypass normal legal requirements
- No licensed attorney involvement
- Vague explanations of legal validity
How to Protect Yourself:
- Consult with a licensed estate planning attorney
- Understand your state's requirements for valid wills
- Don't rely on technology gimmicks for legal documents
- Get second opinions on estate planning services
- Verify any service's legal credentials
Average Loss: $2,000 - $15,000
Digital & Online Scams
11. Email Phishing
What It Is: Scammers send fraudulent emails that appear to be from legitimate companies or individuals, requesting personal information or urging recipients to click malicious links.
Warning Signs:
- Generic greetings ("Dear Customer" instead of your name)
- Urgent language creating false sense of emergency
- Suspicious sender email addresses (slight misspellings)
- Requests for personal information or passwords
- Poor grammar or spelling errors
- Mismatched or suspicious URLs when hovering over links
- Unexpected attachments
How to Protect Yourself:
- Verify sender email addresses carefully
- Never click links in unsolicited emails
- Type website URLs directly into your browser
- Enable multi-factor authentication on all accounts
- Use email filters and security software
- Hover over links to preview actual destination
- Contact companies directly using known phone numbers
Average Loss: $500 - $10,000
12. Spear Phishing
What It Is: A targeted form of phishing where scammers tailor attacks to specific individuals or organizations using personal information to appear more convincing.
Warning Signs:
- Emails referencing specific personal details or relationships
- Appears to come from colleague, friend, or known contact
- Requests that seem slightly unusual but plausible
- Urgent requests for confidential information
- References to recent events or projects you're involved in
How to Protect Yourself:
- Verify requests through separate communication channel
- Be cautious even with emails from known contacts
- Check for subtle email address differences
- Question unusual requests even from apparent colleagues
- Limit personal information shared on social media
- Train employees on spear phishing recognition
Average Loss: $5,000 - $500,000 (for businesses)
13. Whaling
What It Is: Targeting high-profile individuals such as executives or celebrities with highly personalized attacks designed to steal large sums or sensitive corporate information.
Warning Signs:
- Emails appearing to come from board members or senior leadership
- Requests for wire transfers or confidential data
- Urgent tone requiring immediate action
- Bypassing normal approval processes
- References to confidential projects or information
How to Protect Yourself:
- Implement strict verification protocols for financial transfers
- Use separate, secure communication channels for sensitive requests
- Train executives and assistants on whaling tactics
- Require multi-person approval for large transactions
- Be especially cautious during mergers, travel, or busy periods
Average Loss: $50,000 - $10,000,000+
14. Vishing (Voice Phishing)
What It Is: Scammers call victims pretending to be from reputable companies (banks, tech support, government agencies) to extract personal information or payments.
Warning Signs:
- Unexpected calls claiming urgent account problems
- Requests for account numbers, passwords, or PINs
- Pressure to act immediately
- Threats of account closure or legal action
- Spoofed caller ID appearing legitimate
- Requests to confirm personal information
How to Protect Yourself:
- Never provide sensitive information over unexpected calls
- Hang up and call back using official number
- Don't trust caller ID alone
- Be skeptical of urgent threats or deadlines
- Register phone number on Do Not Call list
- Use call-blocking apps
Average Loss: $1,000 - $25,000
15. Smishing (SMS Phishing)
What It Is: Phishing via SMS text messages, where scammers send texts appearing to be from legitimate sources, urging recipients to click links or provide information.
Warning Signs:
- Unexpected texts about account problems or deliveries
- Shortened URLs that hide actual destination
- Urgent language creating false emergencies
- Requests to verify account information via text
- Texts claiming you've won prizes
- Messages about missed deliveries you weren't expecting
How to Protect Yourself:
- Don't click links in unexpected texts
- Delete suspicious messages immediately
- Contact companies directly using official methods
- Don't respond to unknown numbers
- Report smishing attempts to your carrier (forward to 7726)
- Enable spam filtering on your phone
Average Loss: $500 - $5,000
16. Pop-Up Scams
What It Is: Malicious pop-ups appear on a victim's screen, warning of viruses and prompting them to call a fake support number or download fake security software.
Warning Signs:
- Pop-ups that won't close or lock your browser
- Warnings about viruses with countdown timers
- Fake Microsoft or Apple branding
- Pop-ups with sound alerts
- Instructions to call a phone number immediately
- Claims your computer is "locked" until you take action
How to Protect Yourself:
- Close browser using Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Delete)
- Don't call numbers shown in pop-ups
- Use legitimate antivirus software
- Keep browser and OS updated
- Use pop-up blockers
- Clear browser cache regularly
Average Loss: $200 - $3,000
17. Remote Access Scams
What It Is: Victims are tricked into giving remote access to their computer, allowing scammers to install malware, steal information, or lock files for ransom.
Warning Signs:
- Unsolicited calls offering tech support
- Requests to install remote access software (TeamViewer, AnyDesk)
- Claims they need to "fix" your computer
- Pressure to act quickly
- Requests for payment after gaining access
- Unusual computer behavior during or after remote session
How to Protect Yourself:
- Never grant remote access to unsolicited callers
- Only use remote support from companies you contacted
- Monitor what technicians do during legitimate remote sessions
- Uninstall remote access software after legitimate use
- Run antivirus scans after any remote session
- Change passwords if you suspect compromise
Average Loss: $1,000 - $15,000
18. Social Media Account Hijacking
What It Is: Scammers gain access to victims' social media accounts, using them to spread further scams, request money from contacts, or steal personal information.
Warning Signs:
- Unable to log into your account
- Posts or messages you didn't create
- Friends reporting suspicious messages from you
- Changes to account email or phone number
- New login locations in account activity
- Unexpected password reset emails
How to Protect Yourself:
- Use strong, unique passwords for each account
- Enable two-factor authentication
- Don't click suspicious links even from friends
- Review account activity regularly
- Use password managers
- Be cautious of third-party app permissions
- Log out of accounts on shared devices
Average Loss: Varies (identity theft consequences)
19. Like-Farming
What It Is: Scammers create posts designed to go viral (emotional stories, cute animals, giveaways), then edit the post to include scams or malicious links once it has gained traction.
Warning Signs:
- Posts asking for likes, shares, or comments before seeing content
- "Like and share to enter" giveaways
- Emotional manipulation posts
- Recently created accounts with viral posts
- Edited posts with timestamps
- Links added after initial posting
How to Protect Yourself:
- Be skeptical of viral posts from unknown sources
- Check page creation date and history
- Don't engage with obvious engagement bait
- Report suspicious pages
- Review privacy settings to limit who can tag you
- Check post edit history before sharing
Average Loss: Usually leads to other scams
20. Social Media Phishing
What It Is: Scammers send messages or posts with malicious links, often disguised as something innocuous, interesting, or urgent to steal login credentials or install malware.
Warning Signs:
- Messages from friends with suspicious links
- "Is this you in this video?" messages
- Requests to verify your account
- Too-good-to-be-true offers
- Shortened URLs hiding actual destination
- Grammar or spelling unlike your friend's normal communication
How to Protect Yourself:
- Verify unexpected links with sender through another method
- Use browser extensions that check link safety
- Don't click links in unexpected messages
- Enable login alerts on social media accounts
- Report phishing attempts to the platform
- Educate friends and family about these tactics
Average Loss: Varies (can lead to identity theft)