Scammers are finding new ways to target your phone. Here are 5 ways to protect yourself

The warnings are everywhere these days. Don’t click this. Don’t open that. Don’t scan this. Don’t download that. These messages of caution, however well-intended, are so ubiquitous and constant that it should come as no surprise that some people have started to tune them out. How many people? About one in three, according to our recent study . Keeping up with every warning can feel exhausting. Meanwhile, scammers are finding new ways to target people and phones give them plenty of opportunities. Mobile phones give scammers multiple ways to reach people, from text messages and calls to social media posts. According to a 2022 Federal Communications Commission report cited by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), texting is a more common communication method than voice or email. Criminals appear to be taking advantage of that fact. Consumers reported losing $470 million to text scams in 2024, up 26% from $373 million the year before and more than five times the amount reported in 2020. The FTC cites estimates that text message open rates run as high as 98%, compared to just 20% for email. People’s tendency to open and read their texts helps explain their appeal to scammers. Meanwhile, AI is making scams harder to detect, but better at impersonating people and companies to steal money, passwords, and identities. Voice phishing , or “vishing,” was a vanishingly small category of crime just a few years ago, but AI has made it considerably more convincing. Vishing doubled in the first half of 2026, according to CrowdStrike’s 2026 Threat Hunting Report. Meanwhile, 16% of adults in the Malwarebytes survey said they had received a voice-cloned phone call impersonating someone they knew in the past year. Our data also shows how difficult people find it to recognize scams: 85% of survey respondents said it’s hard to tell a scam from the real thing, up from 66% a year ago. And 84% said convincing video evidence no longer feels like the rock-solid proof it once was. Here are five ways to protect yourself 1. Treat unexpected texts and social media posts with suspicion Legitimate institutions generally won’t ask for payment or personal information through unsolicited texts. And if the message is marked “urgent,” all the more reason to pause. Instead, go directly to the company’s official website and inquire there. AI-generated images and videos are making it harder to tell what’s real online, so don’t rely on what you see as proof that a request is legitimate. If the content involves someone you know, contact them directly using a number you already trust. 2. Keep your operating system updated This is one of the most effective things you can do to keep your phone safe. Security updates patch vulnerabilities that malware takes advantage of. Malwarebytes’ threat research found Android malware detections rose 151% in the first half of 2025. On both iPhone and Android, automatic updates help decrease risk. 3. Protect your accounts Use a strong, unique password for every account. A password manager can create and store them for you. Where available, use a passkey—a way to sign in using your device, often with your fingerprint, face, or PIN—that resists phishing. Turn on two-factor authentication, also called 2FA, for all your apps that allow it. This one step makes it harder for criminals who have your password to gain access to accounts on your phone. 4. Be skeptical of voice calls, even from your mom This can be the hardest one to get your head around, but also one of the most dangerous and fastest-growing. AI-synthesized audio fraud has made it easier for scammers to sound convincingly like a loved one in trouble. Agree on a private code word with family members and friends in case of doubt or emergency. If you’re unsure, hang up and call the person on a number you already have. If the caller claims to be your bank, hang up and call back on a number you look up independently. 5. Check links before you tap, including links in QR codes Before opening a link in a text, email, or social media post, check the web address for misspellings or an unfamiliar domain. You can also copy it into the free Malwarebytes Scam Link Check for help assessing it. QR codes can hide suspicious links, too. Scammers sometimes place fake sticker overlays on top of legitimate QR codes in public spaces, and QR code phishing is morphing so fast that the FBI issued an alert in January about North Korean hackers using QR codes to target think tanks and government officials. Look for signs of tampering and check the web address your phone displays before opening it. If you’re not sure, don’t open the link. Instead, go directly to the organization’s official website or app. Scammers rely on speed and pressure, so the best defense is to slow down. If a message or call feels off, step away and check it through a channel you already trust. “One of the best cybersecurity suites on the planet.” According to CNET. Read their review → About the author Michael is the VP of Product at Malwarebytes, with 25 years of experience in cybersecurity and privacy. Before joining Malwarebytes in 2014, Michael was a Director and Lead Architect for tech support giant, Geek Squad. He's also a US Air Force veteran and is passionate about helping parents and kids co-navigate the online world.