How to Spot a Scam

A free, five-minute training on how phone, text, and online scams work and what you can do to protect yourself. It is written for people who do not work in technology, and it is free to download and share.

What it covers

• What social engineering is, and why it works on careful people
• The four warning signs that show up in almost every scam
• A fake bank call, line by line, with the warning sign each line shows
• How to check whether a call is real before you act on it
• Tech support pop-ups, delivery and toll texts, family emergency calls, and romance and investment scams
• Everyday habits that lower your risk
• What to do if it already happened, including where to report it and get free help

Why I made it

Americans aged 50 and over reported losing $11.4 billion to fraud in 2025, more than half of all losses reported to the FBI that year. Most of the people in that group are not on LinkedIn or reading security blogs, but their families are. If someone you know could use this, please pass it along.

The training is published by Brucker Cyber Advisors. If you have questions, or would like a version you can present yourself, email [email protected].