Blog Avast

Every holiday season brings excitement, and unfortunately, a surge in SMS scams targeting unsuspecting consumers. These scam messages might be tiny, but their impact can be huge, ranging from financial loss to identity theft.  

You’re in line for coffee when your phone buzzes: “Hi! We reviewed your profile for a remote job. $1,200/week, no experience needed! Text YES to learn more.” Looks tempting at first glance, right? But if your scam radar isn’t going off yet, it should be. This “job offer” is suspiciously vague, and that’s just the beginning of the red flags.

You get a text saying you’re owed an Amazon refund. Sweet, right? Not so fast. If it’s the Amazon refund text scam, that sweet deal could cost you more than you think. Here’s how to protect your devices with Avast Free Antivirus.

DoorDash has become a staple for more than 40 million U.S. users, whether they’re ordering takeout or delivering it. But as the app’s popularity grows, so does the attention from scammers.

First comes swiping, then comes… scams? Online dating can lead to lasting love, but it can also open the door to heartbreak, fraud, and safety risks. Here’s what to watch out for so you can date smarter and safer. 

Ransomware has long been one of the most feared cyber threats on the internet, and for good reason. It’s fast, disruptive, and increasingly effective at locking up your most important files and demanding payment in exchange for their return. It’s not just businesses that get hit, either. Everyday people have lost family photos, tax records, financial files and entire digital histories to these attacks.  

Even when a website looks legitimate, buying medicine online can expose you to scams that might seriously impact your finances, data or even physical health. 

Avast’s new report spotlights the digital risks facing older generations and how family members can support them with empathy, confidence, and the right tools.

In a world where technology keeps us connected, informed, and entertained, it also creates new opportunities for scammers to sneak into our digital lives. From phishing emails to fake websites and AI-generated messages that seem eerily convincing, online scams have become smarter—and harder to spot. That’s why it’s time for our scam protection to get smarter too.