These 4 online scams will become the norm in 2025 — how to avoid

New year, new scams.

Fraudsters won’t give their antics a break, always discovering a new way to scam the innocent despite the extreme methods they have to go through.

A recent survey conducted by GBG fraud prevention firm revealed that 79% of the 1,200 experts polled had noticed an increase in elaborate scam attacks over the past year. 

“Fraud is always evolving, and with criminals now exploiting AI and machine learning, our expectation is that scams will be increasingly more sophisticated,” Baz Thompson, head of fraud and investigations at Metro Bank, told This is Money.

Meanwhile, 96% of the respondents were concerned that fraudsters are using increasingly ‘industrialized’ techniques to rip people off.

Thompson warns people that despite the many ways to prevent being scammed, people are still anxious that they could be the next victim.

“Our systems have to constantly evolve to protect our customers, but we would remind all consumers and businesses to be wary of anything that seems too good to be true,” the fraud expert added.

It’s essential to protect yourself by not providing your financial or personal information without confirming the request is legitimate.

Facebook marketplace scams

Many people rely on Facebook marketplace to declutter their homes by selling old clothes, furniture and unwanted knicknacks. Some online bargain shoppers use the platform to purchase refurbished items for a honest deal.

However, scammers are lurking online to find the gullible shopper who will fall for their trickster behavior.

“In the last 12 months, we have seen an increase in fraudulent merchants offering goods for sale at attractive prices and then convincing the customers to purchase,” Thompson said.

Deceitful sellers will offer you a ridiculously low deal and then request that you submit your payment via credit card before you collect the item. Once your card is charged, the item you purchased is no longer available.

The fraud expert suggests paying for your item only when you collect it — to ensure you receive the promised product.

Impersonation scams

One of the most anticipated scams for the new year isn’t a new one; it’s impersonation scams.

Conniving fraudsters will imitate trusted sources of the victim to get their personal information.

These tactics occur through emails, text messages, or phone calls with someone pretending to be from the bank, police department, utility provider, or delivery company.

The scammer will request payment for an unpaid delivery fee or personal and financial details.

With tax season approaching, some con artists are upping their antics by mandating immediate payments for alleged unpaid taxes.

“Threatening calls from [His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs] asking you to act quickly to pay an outstanding tax bill should be a red flag to pause,” Thompson declared.

Crypto scams

Cryptocurrency’s popularity has made it an easy target for swindlers to take advantage of ambitious people.

Nowadays, investors are quick to invest in Bitcoin or “Meme” coins for future financial gain, but they should be aware of the risks associated with this.

Scammers have studied the fast-paced crypto culture by encouraging naive people to rush their buys, promoting fake online broker platforms, and promising high returns.

Jaded investors will buy into an online currency, causing its value to increase before the scammers sell their own holdings and crash the market, leaving them in the green while victims are left with nothing.

Fraud experts warn people to use trusted platforms and conduct in-depth research on the tokens they plan to purchase.

Counterfeit music concert tickets

Even when it comes to attending concerts and big-ticketed events, scammers know how to ruin the fun.

Money-hungry con artists are known to sell counterfeit tickets to eager fans who are determined to see their favorite musician, in spite of hefty prices. However, some concertgoers are quick to purchase counterfeit tickets that are extremely cheap, too.

To avoid falling victim to a scammer, only buy tickets for these events through verified sites regardless of how good the offer is.