Five habits that reduce avoidable scam risk.
Good fraud prevention is usually a process: slow down, verify independently and protect the information that cannot be replaced.
Pause on urgency
Urgency can be legitimate, but it should never remove your ability to verify independently.
Use known channels
Contact banks, employers, marketplaces and government services through independently obtained contact details.
Protect secrets
Do not disclose OTPs, passwords, card PINs or recovery codes to someone who contacted you unexpectedly.
Verify payment destinations
Check who receives money and why. A familiar logo does not make an unfamiliar payment destination safe.
Keep evidence
Save relevant messages, transaction references, URLs and screenshots when you suspect a scam.
Act quickly after loss
If money or credentials have already been exposed, contact the relevant bank, platform or authority promptly and follow its incident process.