45 Scammers Who Got ‘Destroyed’ By The People They Were Trying To Rip Off (New Pics)

The internet’s a double-edged sword: information at your fingertips, but also scammers lurking around every corner. From phishing emails to identity theft on social media—it’s enough to make you paranoid.Some people, however, choose to defend themselves against scams withhumor. For the past few years, Bored Panda has been diving into ther/Scamssubreddit and showing you hilariouslyembarrassing attemptsto steal people’s money.The subreddit’s community has more than doubled in size since we last covered it: there are 783K members now! To keep you sharp, we’ve gathered new posts from r/Scams along with tips from cybersecurity pros Chuck Brooks and Burton Kelso.This post may includeaffiliate links.

Some people, however, choose to defend themselves against scams withhumor. For the past few years, Bored Panda has been diving into ther/Scamssubreddit and showing you hilariouslyembarrassing attemptsto steal people’s money.

The subreddit’s community has more than doubled in size since we last covered it: there are 783K members now! To keep you sharp, we’ve gathered new posts from r/Scams along with tips from cybersecurity pros Chuck Brooks and Burton Kelso.

This post may includeaffiliate links.

Some Intense Scam, Be Aware!

Scams are hitting wallets hard these days. The Federal Trade Commissionreportsthat Americans lost a staggering $10 billion just last year.According to Chuck Brooks, President ofBrooks Consulting Internationaland Cybersecurity Person of the Year, modern technology has made it easier to fall victim. For example, AI can now create video and voice recordings that impersonate loved ones in distress to trick you into sending money.

Scams are hitting wallets hard these days. The Federal Trade Commissionreportsthat Americans lost a staggering $10 billion just last year.

According to Chuck Brooks, President ofBrooks Consulting Internationaland Cybersecurity Person of the Year, modern technology has made it easier to fall victim. For example, AI can now create video and voice recordings that impersonate loved ones in distress to trick you into sending money.

Found In Tumblr

With 117k followers onLinkedin, Brooks shares insights on cybersecurity, emerging technologies, business development, and government relations. He notes that fraudsters pretending to be someone else is one of the most common scams.This technique is known asspoofing. It’s usually done through phishing emails or text messages that look like they came from a trusted source, like a friend, a bank, or yourworkplace.

This technique is known asspoofing. It’s usually done through phishing emails or text messages that look like they came from a trusted source, like a friend, a bank, or yourworkplace.

Friend Sent Me This And I Got A Kick Out Of It. Thought Y’all Would Enjoy Too

I’m Still Getting Those Random Messages. How Do You Deal With Yours?

In the past, it was easy to spot spoofs because they often had misspelled words, bad images, and claims that didn’t make sense. Now, scammers can convincingly fake entire webpages, caller IDs, and even IP addresses.

I Love Messing With Scammers. The Phone # Is A Spam Number That I Pulled From My Contacts

Apple Pay Scammer Gets Pissed

Technology expert and TEDx speakerBurton Kelsoalso advises to be cautious of suspicious ads, as they can lead to fake versions of company websites. To stay safe, check official websites independently.

Bait Not Taken

F*****g With Scammers Is Fun

Kevin

I Was Surprised To Get A Message From A High School Friend’s Father

I Just Caught This In The Wild

So while it may be entertaining to read these posts because some scammers are not the brightest, you need to be careful. The most effective way to protect yourself is simply to avoid interacting with them altogether.

It’s Not A Story The Scammers Would Tell You…

How My Buddy Deals With Scams

Kindly Hit Her With That Uno Reverse Card

Brooks and Kelso recommend using multi-factor authentication on your devices to prevent scammers from getting your private information in the first place.

The Person Who Definitely Wasn’t Talking With A Bot

I have no idea how this scam even works or what the end game is. But I’ve started replying in ways that make me giggle

I Used To Live In Los Angeles. I’ve Never Owned A House. I Get These Texts All The Time

A Pleasant Conversation I Had With A Whatsapp Scammer Today

Scammer Was Asking Me To “Invest $300”. Had To Do It To ‘Em

If Messing With Scammers Is Wrong I Don’t Want To Be Right

I Have Suddenly Been Receiving Lots Of Fake Check Scams, Probably Because I Respond To All Of Them. This One Is Gold🤣

Moreover, Kelso suggests being mindful of where you share your phone number and email address. If you give them out too freely, untrustworthy companies might sell your data. This could leave you with dangerous spam emails and unwanted calls.

Omg They Sent It Again

The Person Who Was Kind Enough To Connect A Scammer With Some Other Scammers

Scammers Really Dislike It When You Force Them To Venture Off Script

Remember that scammers rely on psychological manipulation to take advantage of you. “They use fear-based tactics to get us into our primitive brain, which is always on alert,” Alex Melkumian, founder of the Financial Psychology Center, said forTime Magazine. “[This] really just hijacks our ability to rationally think through the situation.”

The Person Who Deployed Eighth-Grade Humor To Great Effectiveness

I Don’t Know If This Is A Money Thing Or A Serial Killing Attempt, But It Gave Me A Good Laugh Today

Most Common Lost Pet Scam (Verification Codes)

At the end of the day, Kelso says to “trust your gut.” Delete messages that make you feel uneasy and don’t make quick decisions. “If people really want to contact you, they will reach out [until they do].”

Very Bold