The only guaranteed way to avoid being scammed is to arrange it so that you are never approached by a scammer.
Unfortunately, that’s impossible. Scammers work all day every day to come up with effective-for-them new ways to catch people off-guard so they can scam them.
It’s best to accept that there’s no way to stop scammers from trying and trying. If that changes someday, great.
In the meantime, there are two things you need to do:
First – you need to be skeptical and suspicious and disengage quickly if you suspect you’re speaking, texting, emailing or communicating in any way with a scammer.
Second – you want to come up with a plan to minimize scammers’ chances of getting in touch with you (or people you care about) in the first place.
Because scammers are targeting everyone. They’re relentless, merciless and focused on only one thing – connecting with victims and stealing their money.
Occasionally someone will assure me that they’d never fall for a scam. I tend to believe them if they seem alert to the threats and mentally prepared to recognize that they will be approached by scammers in all kinds of different ways – texts, emails, phone calls, computer pop-ups and more. They recognize the danger and understand that their work is to deflect as many scammer attempts as possible.
If you can do that, it makes a world of difference. But it requires constant vigilance, including:
> Never picking up a call when you don’t recognize the number. Never. Period.
> Taking advantage of every security setting that keeps those calls or messages from getting through to you.
> Never “being curious” or “wanting to get to the bottom” of some odd message or stranger’s claim.
> Immediately disengaging if a scammer does get through because scammers are very experienced at working their scam scripts and manipulating a conversation. Contacts with scammers very often go the scammer’s way.
Sometimes I ask the folks who are prepared to avoid or recognize scammers if they are as confident that their kids or parents or siblings are as 100% prepared to avoid scammers or disengage immediately too.
A few can say, “Yes!” Other times they realize that there could be a significant hole in their defenses. One man asked what he could do to protect a parent’s bank account. His parent had mild cognitive impairment and could not be convinced to not pick up on phone calls and talk to strangers.
Cognitive impairment leading to people getting scammed is huge. At least this gentleman was aware of the danger and was trying to safeguard his parent against it. Too often, though, a family suspects there’s a problem but they don’t act until tens of thousands of dollars are lost to scammers. Or much more!
Young people are at special risk because they have had fewer warnings and less life experience. They usually have less money but scammers are happy to get that too. Some teenage scam victims kill themselves – a personal and family tragedy. The scammers just move on.
People are often warned about what they should never do. Lying to your bank about an unusual-for-you withdrawal is one and converting that money to bitcoin is another.
Deciding to do what you (and your loved ones) can do to avoid or limit contact with scammers altogether will be well worth your time and effort. If I can help you or answer any questions, email submissions @ thecantoncitizen.com.
From the “Smart About Money” Canton Citizen column published on October 30 2025.
Nick Maffeo is the President & CEO of Canton Co-operative Bank – right next to the Post Office – in Canton.
Have a question? Email to info@cantoncoopbank.com.