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 with humor. For the past few years, Bored Panda has been diving into the r/Scams subreddit and showing you hilariously embarrassing attempts to 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.
#1 Some Intense Scam, Be Aware!
Image credits: yannblas
Scams are hitting wallets hard these days. The Federal Trade Commission reports that Americans lost a staggering $10 billion just last year.
According to Chuck Brooks, President of Brooks Consulting International and 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.
#2 Found In Tumblr
Image credits: Bitter_Jaguar_7914
With 117k followers on Linkedin, 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 as spoofing. 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 your workplace.
#3 Friend Sent Me This And I Got A Kick Out Of It. Thought Y’all Would Enjoy Too
Image credits: Randevu
#4 I’m Still Getting Those Random Messages. How Do You Deal With Yours?
Image credits: RealRoosterhoot
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.
#5 I Love Messing With Scammers. The Phone # Is A Spam Number That I Pulled From My Contacts
Image credits: OtekahSunshield
#6 Apple Pay Scammer Gets Pissed
Image credits: DefiantDeviantArt
Technology expert and TEDx speaker Burton Kelso also advises to be cautious of suspicious ads, as they can lead to fake versions of company websites. To stay safe, check official websites independently.
#7 :)
Image credits: reddit.com
#8 Bait Not Taken
Image credits: RealRoosterhoot
#9 F*****g With Scammers Is Fun
Image credits: The_Scooter_Boy
Even if you are tech-savvy, that doesn’t mean you’re necessarily immune to scams. For instance, younger generations who heavily rely on the internet are particularly vulnerable. According to a survey by Deloitte, American Gen Zs are 3 times more likely to fall for online fraud than boomers.
#10 Kevin
Image credits: Jurrienvn
#11 I Was Surprised To Get A Message From A High School Friend's Father
Image credits: blackcav
#12 I Just Caught This In The Wild
Image credits: bPhrea
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.
#13 The Person Who Definitely Wasn't Talking With A Bot
Image credits: anonymous
#14 It’s Not A Story The Scammers Would Tell You…
Image credits: Apprehensive_Ad_7249
#15 How My Buddy Deals With Scams
Image credits: xMrSaltyx
Brooks and Kelso recommend using multi-factor authentication on your devices to prevent scammers from getting your private information in the first place.
“This raises the bar toward stealing your passwords by requiring two or three steps to access data,” says Brooks. “You can use biometrics such as facial recognition, an eye scan, or a thumbprint to add an additional level of security”.
#16 Kindly Hit Her With That Uno Reverse Card
Image credits: coreythebuckeye
#17 A Pleasant Conversation I Had With A Whatsapp Scammer Today
Image credits: apersello34
#18 I Used To Live In Los Angeles. I've Never Owned A House. I Get These Texts All The Time
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
Image credits: sniperwolfjob
Hackers are also really good at figuring out passwords by themselves. On social media, they can find people’s birthdays, places where they lived, and phrases they like to use. Don’t use that information to create your passwords and change them regularly.
#19 Scammer Was Asking Me To "Invest $300". Had To Do It To 'Em
Image credits: 7phyr
#20 If Messing With Scammers Is Wrong I Don’t Want To Be Right
Image credits: DanOfMystery
#21 Omg They Sent It Again
Image credits: why_seal_why
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.
#22 I Have Suddenly Been Receiving Lots Of Fake Check Scams, Probably Because I Respond To All Of Them. This One Is Gold?
Image credits: RyeSicle
#23 Scammers Really Dislike It When You Force Them To Venture Off Script
Image credits: johndeaux588
#24 The Person Who Was Kind Enough To Connect A Scammer With Some Other Scammers
Image credits: bradchriswick
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 for Time Magazine. “[This] really just hijacks our ability to rationally think through the situation.”
#25 The Person Who Deployed Eighth-Grade Humor To Great Effectiveness
Image credits: anon
#26 I Don't Know If This Is A Money Thing Or A Serial Killing Attempt, But It Gave Me A Good Laugh Today
Image credits: OuterSpaceCandy
#27 Very Bold
Image credits: vandaloLO
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].”
#28 They Didn’t Even Try
Image credits: alldemboats
#29 The Person Who Made Sure The Scammer Was Well Fed
Image credits: anonymous
#30 Most Common Lost Pet Scam (Verification Codes)
Image credits: Ultimate_CatLover
#31 The Person Who Found A Scammer Willing To Go To The End Of Middle-Earth To Scam Them
Image credits: anonymous
#32 This Sub Has Made Me Aware Of Literally Every Scam Before It Happens
Image credits: Right-Shelter
#33 Scammers Gonna Scam
Image credits: reddit.com
#34 What Is Going On Here? (Birthday Cake Message)
Image credits: grem1inzz
#35 Had To Be Reminded
Image credits: Vi11agio-Xbox
#36 Got This Yesterday. I Just Want To Rehome Some Guinea Pigs, Not Looking For This Nonsense
Image credits: smokealarmsnick
#37 I Finally Received One Of These! I Feel Like A Full Member Of Society Now
Image credits: reddit.com
#38 I Hate When Scammers Don't Do The Smallest Bit Of Research Ahead Of Time
Image credits: Notcodysomeoneelse
#39 These Scammers Man
Image credits: anonymous
#40 My Name Is Not Adora
Image credits: PurpleSky062428
#41 If You Weren’t 100% Convinced These People Aren’t Pieces Of S**t
Image credits: reddit.com
#42 I’m Sooo Tired Of This S**t
Image credits: aspecial_nobody
#43 Update, My Friend Did In Fact Get A Text. Details Inside
Image credits: Lokael
#44 Scammers Failing Hard
Image credits: CashSZN808
#45 Thanks To This Sub I Knew Exactly What This Was. Wrong Number Scam
Image credits: gandhimahatma1
