Waylon Cunningham

Scams. Unfortunately, they’re still out there. While advances in technology bring us many benefits, they also provide new tools for scam artists, and the loss of personal and financial information continues to trend upward.

BBB recommends adding the following “resolutions” to your goals for this year to help make your 2025 scam-free.

“In this day and age, you can’t afford to make mistakes,” said Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB Serving Central East Texas. “Taking preventive measures is well worth the time and effort to keep from becoming a victim.”

Here are some tips:

Resolve to be cautious with email. Be wary of unsolicited emails from a person or a company. Remember, scammers can make emails look like they are from a legitimate business, government agency, or reputable organization (even BBB!). Never click on links or open attachments in unsolicited emails.

Resolve never to send money to strangers. If you haven’t met a person face-to-face, don’t send them money. This is especially true if the person asks you to transfer funds using a pre-paid debit card or CashApp. Money sent to strangers in this way is untraceable, and once it is sent, there’s no getting it back. Scammers will try to trick you into acting emotionally, so before making a move, think the situation through.

Resolve to research companies before making online payments, purchases and donations. Research the retailer before entering payment information. Confirm contact details, such as a valid address, web address, and phone number. Use extreme caution when considering businesses which operate solely through social media without credible credentials.

Resolve to use your best judgment when sharing personal information. Sharing sensitive personal information with scammers opens the door to identity theft. Never share financial information, birthdate, address, Social Security number, or Medicare number with an unsolicited caller.

Resolve to create strong, unique passwords for each account. Using strong, varied passwords across accounts makes it harder for fraudsters to access multiple accounts if one is compromised.

Resolve to enable multi-factor authentication. Adding this layer of security to accounts, especially those involving finances or personal data, greatly reduces the risk of unauthorized access.

Resolve to be social media smart. Use privacy settings on social media and only connect with people you know. Be careful about including personal information in your profile, and never reveal your address and other sensitive information. Scammers may use this information to make themselves pass as friends or relatives and earn your trust. Also, be careful when purchasing products you see on social media. BBB Scam Tracker has received thousands of complaints about misleading Facebook and Instagram ads.

Resolve to check your financial statements regularly. Committing to review bank and credit card statements can help catch unauthorized transactions early.

Resolve to educate yourself about the latest scams. Staying informed on emerging scams helps you recognize and avoid new fraud tactics. Stay up on the latest scams by subscribing to BBB Scam Alerts emails.

To learn more about scams, go to BBB.org/ScamTips. For more about avoiding scams, check out BBB.org/AvoidScams. If this scam has targeted you, help others avoid the same problem by reporting your experience at BBB.org/ScamTracker.

Always look for the BBB seal; it’s the Sign of a Better Business. Start with companies you can trust by going to bbb.org.