Blog post: Online security
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Blog post: Online security
Scams evolve every year, taking advantage of new technologies, data breaches, social media, instant messaging and human weaknesses. In 2026, the most dangerous frauds are not always the most spectacular: they are often the ones that seem credible, urgent and tailored to your situation.
Discover the 6 main threats to watch out for, the right reflexes to protect yourself and the steps to take if you become a victim.
With the rise of digital technology, fraudsters are becoming ever more inventive in trapping their victims. Fake investments, phishing, fake technical support, identity theft, fake jobs or calls from fake advisers: these scams are spreading rapidly. It is therefore essential to be vigilant against scams and to test your reflexes regularly with the anti-fraud crash test.
Here are the six most common forms of abuse this year, together with ways to protect yourself and the steps to follow if you become a victim:
1. Fake investment scams (crypto, trading, AI, fund recovery)
How does it work?
Scammers offer investments promising high, fast or guaranteed returns. They use fraudulent platforms, fake dashboards, social media adverts, fictitious testimonials, and sometimes the image of well-known personalities or supposed financial experts. Once the money has been sent, they may even come back to the victim with a fake fund recovery offer.
How can you protect yourself?
Verify the authorizations of platforms and intermediaries with the competent authorities.
Be wary of promises of excessively high returns, guaranteed gains and advisers who put pressure on you.
Look for independent reviews, check the company’s identity and use the AI-assisted reliability scan when a service, platform or brand raises doubts.
What should you do if you are a victim?
File a complaint and report the platform to the competent authority in your country.
Contact your bank as quickly as possible in an attempt to block or dispute the transactions.
Do not respond to “fund recovery” offers, which are very often a second scam targeting victims who are already vulnerable.
2. Fake technical support fraud
How does it work?
You receive a call, a pop-up alert or a message informing you of a problem with your computer, smartphone, account or antivirus. The scammers ask you to call a number, install remote-control software or provide codes to supposedly fix the situation.
How can you protect yourself?
Never call a number shown in a pop-up alert or an alarming message.
Contact the official support service of the company concerned directly by typing the website address yourself.
Never install software at the request of a stranger and never give remote access to your device.
What should you do if you are a victim?
Disconnect the computer from the internet.
Change your passwords immediately from another clean device.
File a complaint, contact your bank if payment data has been shared and use the interactive guide for fraud victims to prioritize the first steps.
3. Fake remote job scam
How does it work?
Fraudsters offer simple, flexible and well-paid work: validating payments, reshipping parcels, posting reviews, micro-tasks, assignments via messaging apps or supposed international recruitment. In reality, they may be trying to obtain your documents, your bank details, registration fees or involve you in suspicious operations.
How can you protect yourself?
Verify the company on its official website, in legal registers, on its professional profiles and through its usual recruitment channels.
Be wary of offers without a serious interview, disproportionate salaries, exchanges conducted only through messaging apps and payments requested before any hiring.
Never provide your banking information, identity documents or sensitive data before verifying the real existence of the employer and the legitimacy of the contract.
What should you do if you are a victim?
Stop all communication with the scammers.
Report the fraudulent offer on the platform where it was published.
Prepare the evidence, notify your bank if financial information has been shared and file a complaint to avoid any legal involvement.
4. Fake delivery, bank or tax text message scam
How does it work?
You receive a text message, an email, a WhatsApp message or a QR code asking you to pay delivery fees, confirm a payment, update your tax information or secure an account. The link leads to a cloned website that steals your login details, your bank details or your verification codes.
How can you protect yourself?
Verify the sender and never click on a suspicious link received in a message.
Use the official website of the service concerned by typing the address yourself into the browser.
Enable two-factor authentication on your sensitive accounts and never share a code received by text message or app.
What should you do if you are a victim?
Contact your bank immediately to block the card or suspicious transactions.
File a complaint and report the message through the channel appropriate for your country. The fraud reporting assistant can help you identify the right contact depending on the type of fraud.
Monitor your bank accounts and online accounts to spot other frauds or login attempts.
5. Identity impersonation on social media
How does it work?
Fraudsters create a fake profile using your photos, imitate someone close to you, hack an existing account or use AI-generated messages to appear more credible. They then contact your relatives to extract money, codes, documents or personal information from them.
How can you protect yourself?
Do not share too much personal information publicly.
Enable two-factor authentication on social media, messaging apps and email accounts.
Check the privacy settings on your accounts and remain cautious with urgent requests, even when they appear to come from someone close to you.
What should you do if you are a victim?
Report the fake profile to the platform.
Inform your contacts not to respond to the requests.
File a complaint for identity theft and keep screenshots, links, profile identifiers and the messages received.
6. Fake bank adviser, fake relative or spoofed voice message scam
How does it work?
A scammer pretends to be your bank, an anti-fraud service, someone close to you or an authority. They may claim that a suspicious transaction is under way, that an account must be secured or that someone close to you needs money urgently. Fraudsters may also use number spoofing, highly personalized messages or imitated voices to make the situation more credible.
How can you protect yourself?
Never share a code, password, banking approval or login detail with someone who contacts you.
Hang up and call your bank, your relative or the organization concerned back using an official number you already know.
Be wary of urgent, confidential or emotional requests that prevent you from thinking clearly.
What should you do if you are a victim?
Contact your bank immediately to block the transactions.
File a complaint with the competent authorities.
Keep the evidence and use the fraud reporting assistant to direct the report to the right channel.
Scams in 2026 are becoming increasingly credible, personalized and fast-moving. Vigilance, checking sources, being cautious when faced with urgency and preserving evidence remain the best ways to protect yourself. If in doubt, it is essential to report any attempted fraud immediately and consult the competent authorities. If you have already sent money, codes or documents, start with the interactive guide for fraud victims to organize the first steps without wasting time.
