In 2019, more than 3.2 million reports of fraud were filed in the US alone. People lost a collective $1.9 billion.

While phone scams still proliferate, droves of fraudsters have taken to the internet to cheat people out of their money. In 2020, Google detects a stunning 50,000 phishing websites per week. And the scams have become more sophisticated than ever.

Even generally secure lines of communication such as cloud business phone services cannot guarantee 100% protection against scams.

So what can you do to protect yourself from online communication scams? Here are the top 3 strategies and tools to leave scammers empty-handed.

1 - Keep Track of the Latest Scams, and Watch Out for Future Trends

A good defense against fraud is to keep track of the latest scams that circulate on the internet. That way, you won't have to think twice about that suspicious, but scarily real-looking e-mail or website.

The 2020 coronavirus pandemic has kicked scammers into high gear. The FTC reported over 18,000 coronavirus-related scams between January and mid-April, with people losing over $13 million.

One of the most rampant COVID-19 scams are fake e-mails and websites related to the World Health Organization (WHO), whether they ask for money for recruitment, charge registration fees, or offer lotteries and prizes.

In the US, scammers have been targeting people's government stimulus checks. Phishing messages and fake government websites stole the personal information of thousands of Americans trying to get their coronavirus relief checks.

In terms of future trends, scammers are now starting to use artificial intelligence for so-called deepfakes. By using the voices and faces of other people - celebrities, politicians, or CEOs - cybercriminals steal personal information or large sums of money.

For example, only recently three men were arrested in Israel for stealing a stunning $8 million from a high-profile businessman by using AI to impersonate the French foreign minister. Such scams are still rare - but experts say they will take off soon.

2 - Always be Suspicious of Certain Online Offers

While scam trends change frequently, there are certain kinds of websites and online offers that you should always treat with suspicion.

According to Fraud.org, a project by the National Consumers League, the most common internet scams involve:

• Merchandise (44.26 %) paid for but never delivered

• Fake checks (13.52%)

• Advance fee loans and credit arrangers (9.76%)

• Phishing and spoofing (8.30%), targeting your personal information

• Friendship and sweetheart swindles (6.71%)

• Prizes and gifts (3.63%)

Always suspect foul play when asked to conduct financial business online outside of standard banking platforms, if a website asks for your personal information, if you are suddenly contacted by a long-lost high school sweetheart, or if you are told that you won a prize. Enabling spam and call filters also helps.

As for merchandise swindles, always check the credibility of the website you're buying from. In 2020, fraudulent websites are often incredibly well-designed and realistic-looking. To reveal whether they are the real deal, google their credentials or to try calling a customer service number if one is listed. (Hint: If there isn't, that's already a big red flag.)

3 - When in Doubt, Take a Step Back and Double-Check

The best weapon in a scammer's arsenal is panic.

Scammers often try to create a sense of emergency. Act now, transfer money immediately, fill out a form right away, OR ELSE. Your account will be closed. You will have to pay late fees or penalties. You won't be receiving your government stimulus check.

Anyone getting such a message can panic, and follow the scammer's instruction.

Stop. Think. Check.

Any message urging you to act right away should be treated with the utmost suspicion. If you receive a message like that, or get forwarded to a website with a similar message, take a step back, breathe, and assess the situation.

Usually, checking the sender address of an email by hovering over the sender name can reveal whether that sender is legitimate or not. This message about a suspended Netflix account was by no means sent by their service department, but by a totally unrelated address.

A great asset to sniffing out potential scams are also reverse lookup tools. Enter suspicious e-mail addresses, URLs, or phone numbers, and they will reveal if you are indeed dealing with a scam.

Final Thoughts

The enormous landscape of online scams is constantly evolving.

But by keeping up with the latest scams and future fraud trends, generally being suspicious of certain kinds of online offers and transactions, and keeping calm when scammers try to push you, you can protect yourself. And hold onto your hard-earned cash.