Contrary to popular belief, most investment scams don’t involve hackers deep in the coding of computer systems, conducting elaborate heists. 

They involve the most hackable computer of all: the human mind. 

And behind most successful investment scams, there’s a long trail of personal contact. Scammers come on like legitimate investment managers; colleagues; or even friends of friends. They spend time refining their scripts. They play on your ambitions, your fears, even your lack of bandwidth. 

Many even use AI to make their scripts look convincing – gone are the haphazard errors that used to signal scams. They even use it to generate fake profiles of fellow investors or convincing companies across social media and the web. 

So that all too often, by the time we become suspicious, it’s too late. 

But help is at hand. 

Just watch this series of six short videos, and learn how to become a harder target for scammers – in easy stages. 

From red flags to spot in conversation, to places to turn, and techniques to turn the tables – it’s all here. 

Scammers work with our emotions and rogue data to exploit our weaknesses. Here’s how to stop them. 

Putting yourself in the position of the people trying to scam you can reveal a lot about their methods – and give you a valuable way to fight back.

Managing your digital shadow – that trail of telltale data on your career, location, finances, and personal and private networks that’s out there on the internet – is the first step in scam-proofing your life, depriving scammers of their primary material. Here’s how to get started. 

The vast majority of scams rely on instilling a sense of urgency. The scammer, who knows they could be found out at any moment, also wants you to feel a sense of FOMO, or fear of missing out. It’s crucial to remember: Nothing legitimate ever makes you feel that panic. Here’s how to fight back.