Ever since the dawn of the internet, hacking, or unauthorized access to data in a system, has been a major issue; however, the hacker of our age are becoming more savvy.

When most people think of hacking, they automatically think of stealing other people’s information through bugs, but the most popular method is actually scams.

Every day, millions of Americans get scam calls, ranging from “family members” asking for money to the “IRS” telling you that your social security was stolen. Many people believe these calls, resulting in their personal information being given away freely.

Although calls are a popular way to attempt to trick people, texting can create scams as well. Many churches face this issue. Scammers will text numbers posing as a priest asking for cash or gift cards as a last minute gift to be dropped off in a private location. Sts. Joachim and Ann parish recently just experienced this, as people were getting texts from someone claiming to be the parish priest.

Many scams happen online as well. Pop up advertisements tell people they are winners of gift cards or money; all they have to do is enter their personal information and the prizes will be on its way. However, these scams just steal your information and use famous brands or “real” reviews to make the scam seem legitimate. Another popular scam happens with items that require social security numbers and credit card information, such as a passport. These scams steal your vital information for personal use.

Although scammers are clever, there are ways to protect yourself. Make sure to use credible and reliable websites, especially when you have to enter personal information. If a call or text from an unknown number seems sketchy, talk to the person the scammer is posing as face to face in order to check reliability. Don’t give scam callers any information and or simply hang up, especially if they claim to be from the government.

In such a digital and technological age, scammers continue to develop their techniques. People face scammers every day, so always make sure to be one step ahead.