Every year, fraudsters find new ways to exploit trust, technology, and urgency. The Better Business Bureau’s 2025 Scam Tracker Risk Report revealed a trend: scammers have become more sophisticated, more convincing, and more likely to reach consumers through the devices they use every day. The report highlights the rise of employment scams, increasing scam activity through text messages, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in fraud attempts.
Employment Scams Are on the Rise
Looking for a job should be exciting, not risky. Yet employment scams continue to climb as fraudsters take advantage of job seekers who are searching for flexible work, remote opportunities, or higher-paying positions. Employment scams were among the most significant scam trends observed in 2025.
Common warning signs include:
- Job offers that arrive unexpectedly
- Interviews conducted solely through text or chat platforms
- Requests to purchase equipment with a check provided by the employer
- Promises of high pay for minimal work
- Pressure to share banking information or personal details early in the hiring process
- Receiving a paycheck before working
How to protect yourself: Research the company independently, verify job postings on official websites, and never send money or share sensitive financial information before confirming the legitimacy of an employer.
Scam Text Messages Keep Increasing
If it feels like suspicious texts are showing up more often, you’re not imagining it. Scams perpetrated through text messaging continue to rise.
These messages often claim to be from:
- Delivery services
- Government agencies
- Banks and credit card companies
- Toll collection services
- Online retailers
Their goal is simple: create urgency and convince you to click a link, download malware, or provide personal information.
How to protect yourself: Don’t click links in unexpected text messages. Instead, visit the organization’s website directly or contact them using a verified phone number. Remember, a text message is easy for criminals to fake.
Artificial Intelligence Is Fueling New Fraud Tactics
Technology, including artificial intelligence, helps businesses innovate, but scammers are leveraging it too.
AI can be used to:
- Create convincing phishing emails
- Mimic writing styles
- Generate realistic fake images
- Clone voices to impersonate family members, coworkers, or trusted organizations
These tools make scams harder to detect because the messages often appear more polished and believable than traditional fraud attempts.
How to protect yourself: Slow down and verify unexpected requests, especially those involving money, account access, or sensitive information. If someone claims to be a family member, friend, or organization, contact them through a known channel before taking action.
Scammers Thrive on Urgency and Opportunity
One consistent finding from scam reports is that criminals often exploit emotions. Whether they’re creating fear, excitement, urgency, or curiosity, scammers want people to act before they think, and they commonly use both threats and opportunities to persuade victims.
Examples include:
- “Your account has been compromised.”
- “You’ve won a prize.”
- “Your package cannot be delivered.”
- “Act now before this job opportunity disappears.”
Whenever you’re pressured to act immediately, consider it a red flag.
Three Simple Questions to Ask Before Responding
Before clicking, sharing information, or sending money, ask yourself:
- Was I expecting this message?
- Can I verify this request independently?
- Is someone pressuring me to act quickly?
If the answer raises doubts, pause and investigate further.
The Bottom Line
Scams continue to evolve, but the best defense remains awareness. As employment scams grow, text-based fraud becomes more common, and AI-powered impersonation tactics advance, taking a moment to verify before acting can make all the difference. The more informed consumers are, the harder it becomes for fraudsters to succeed. Insights from the BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report serve as an important reminder that staying cautious, informed, and vigilant is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself and your finances.
