Understanding the threat landscape

Welcome to the Sting9 Research Initiative’s educational course on protecting yourself from digital threats. In this first chapter, we’ll explore the current state of phishing, smishing, and scam attacks to understand why learning about these threats is so important.

The Global Scale of the Problem

The statistics are staggering:

• 5.3 billion phishing emails are sent every single day worldwide
• $12.5 billion was lost to consumer fraud in 2024 alone (a 25% increase from the previous year)
• 1 in 3 people have fallen for phishing attempts at some point
• 87% of smishing attacks (SMS phishing) bypass current security filters

These aren’t just numbers—they represent real people who lost money, had their identities stolen, or experienced the emotional trauma of being scammed.

Why Everyone Is a Target

You might think, “I’m too careful” or “I’m not important enough to target.” Unfortunately, that’s exactly what scammers want you to think.

Modern scammers don’t discriminate. They target:

• Young adults through social media and dating apps
• Middle-aged professionals with business email compromise
• Seniors with tax scams and tech support fraud
• Students with fake job offers and scholarship scams
• Parents with fake charity and school-related scams

The truth is: if you have an email address, phone number, or social media account, you are a potential target.

The Evolution of Scams

From Obvious to Sophisticated

Remember the poorly-written “Nigerian Prince” emails from the early 2000s? Those days are gone. Today’s scams are:

• Written in perfect grammar (thanks to AI)
• Personalized with information about you found online
• Sent from addresses that look nearly identical to legitimate companies
• Supported by fake websites that perfectly mimic real ones
• Enhanced with voice cloning and deepfake technology

The AI Revolution in Scams

In 2024, we witnessed a 194% surge in AI-related fraud attempts. Artificial intelligence has made it easier for scammers to:

• Generate convincing phishing emails in perfect English (or any language)
• Clone voices with just 3 seconds of audio
• Create deepfake videos that look incredibly real
• Personalize attacks at scale
• Respond to your questions in real-time

This doesn’t mean you’re helpless—it means you need to be informed and vigilant.

Why “It Won’t Happen to Me” Is Dangerous

One of the biggest vulnerabilities is overconfidence. Many victims later say:

“I thought I was too smart to fall for that.”

“I never imagined it would happen to me.”

“I was always careful online.”

The reality is that scammers are professionals who use psychological manipulation tactics developed and refined over decades. They exploit:

• Urgency: “Act now or your account will be closed!”
• Fear: “Suspicious activity detected on your account!”
• Authority: Messages appearing to come from your bank, the IRS, or your boss
• Curiosity: “You won’t believe what’s in this video!”
• Greed: “Congratulations! You’ve won a prize!”
• Trust: Building relationships over weeks or months before asking for money

These tactics work because they bypass our rational thinking and trigger emotional responses.

The Real-World Impact

Let’s look at what happens when people fall victim to scams:

Financial Consequences

• Average loss per victim varies from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars
• Bank accounts drained
• Credit cards maxed out
• Retirement savings stolen
• Debt from fraudulent purchases

Emotional and Psychological Impact

• Shame and embarrassment
• Loss of trust in others
• Depression and anxiety
• Stress affecting health and relationships
• Reluctance to report the crime (which helps scammers continue)

Cascading Effects

• Identity theft leading to years of problems
• Damage to credit scores
• Tax complications
• Legal issues if your identity is used for crimes
• Impact on family members who may also become targets

But There’s Good News

Despite the alarming statistics, you can protect yourself:

• Training works: Security awareness training reduces phishing success rates by up to 86%
• Knowledge is power: Understanding how scams work makes you significantly less likely to fall victim
• It’s never too late: Even if you’ve been scammed before, learning these skills prevents future attacks
• You can help others: Educated individuals protect their families and communities

The Key Mindsets for Protection

As you go through this course, adopt these mindsets:

1. Healthy Skepticism: Question unexpected messages, especially those requesting action
2. Pause and Verify: Take time to verify before clicking, downloading, or sending money
3. It’s Okay to Question: Legitimate organizations expect and respect verification requests
4. Better Safe Than Sorry: A few extra minutes to verify is worth avoiding disaster
5. Report Suspicious Activity: Reporting helps protect others

What You’ll Learn in This Course

Over the next 12 chapters, you’ll gain practical skills to:

• Identify common phishing and smishing tactics
• Recognize red flags in emails, texts, and social media messages
• Verify whether a message is legitimate
• Protect your financial accounts and personal information
• Respond appropriately if you’re targeted or compromised
• Help family and friends stay safe

Each chapter focuses on a specific type of threat with:

• Real-world examples and case studies
• Clear red flags to watch for
• Step-by-step verification procedures
• Prevention strategies you can implement immediately

Moving Forward

The threat landscape is real and growing, but you don’t have to be a victim. The fact that you’re taking this course puts you ahead of most people. You’re investing time in your safety and security—that’s commendable.

Remember: Scammers rely on people not knowing these tactics. Once you understand how they operate, you become a much harder target.

In the next chapter, we’ll dive into email phishing scams—one of the most common and costly types of attacks. You’ll learn exactly what to look for and how to protect yourself.

Key Takeaways

• 5.3 billion phishing emails are sent daily worldwide
• $12.5 billion lost to consumer fraud in 2024
• 1 in 3 people have fallen for phishing attempts
• AI has made scams more sophisticated and convincing
• Everyone is a potential target regardless of age or tech-savviness
• Training reduces phishing success by up to 86%
• You can protect yourself with the right knowledge and mindset
• Verification before action is your best defense

Ready to continue? In Chapter 2, we’ll explore email phishing scams in depth, including how to spot fake emails, recognize spoofed addresses, and verify whether a message is legitimate.