3 tips to avoid being cyber-scammed
A panel of local cybersecurity experts share practical steps to guard against falling victim to scammers
The following article appeared in the June 2, 2025, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.
Scared of being cyber-scammed? Here are 3 ways to avoid it from Charlotte-area experts.
Cyber scammers are getting smarter, sneakier and more convincing by the day — whether it’s a phishing email that looks identical to a bank’s login page, a voice message that sounds like a family member in distress or reused passwords that open multiple digital doors to scammers.
The good news is, there are ways to protect yourself.
A panel of local cybersecurity experts shared practical steps to guard against falling victim to scammers during a recent meeting of the Charlotte Area Chamber of Commerce.
Here are three tips from the conversation:
◼️ Beware of how scammers are using AI: With the rise of artificial intelligence, hackers can use AI to generate “deep fakes” — hyper-realistic fake audio or videos — that can trick even cautious users.
For example, criminals call a victim posing as a close friend or relative in distress, sometimes even using a recorded voice that mimics a family member.
Tim Timmons, director of technology at Dove Technologies, recommended that loved ones have a secret phrase that isn’t shared with anyone else, “so if you’re over the phone, or if you’re over a video call … it is something that you slip into conversation that would validate who you are and that you do need to actually come to [the] rescue.”
Beware sending money in what seem like urgent situations — especially through suspicious apps or third parties, Timmons said.
◼️ Think harder about passwords and email accounts: Don’t use the same passwords for multiple accounts, because with a single breach — whether at your workplace or a personal account — you could give attackers access to many digital accounts.
Always choose passwords with nine characters or more — “brute forcers,” or hackers who use trial and error to guess passwords, typically try eight-character passwords.
“The longer it is, the better it is,” said David Cooper, senior vice president of information technology for Skyla Credit Union.
Never use passwords built around birthdays or anniversaries — dates that are easily findable on many people’s social media profiles — and are easy guesses for hackers.
Also, the experts recommended using different email accounts for different facets of your life so that in the case of a breach, criminals don’t have access to your entire email world.
Detective Chris McNeil of the cyber crimes division of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said he has four or five different email accounts for just that reason.
“If I want to sign up for a form or a message board, that goes to (one) email account. All my banking and anything logistical wise, if it has to do with money or anything else, that's a separate email account … with another for friends and family,” he said.
◼️ Be relentless about using multi-factor authentication: While multi-factor authentication can seem like a hassle, it remains one of the simplest and most effective ways to stop hackers. Even if your passcode is revealed during a leak, the second layer can prevent hackers from accessing your account.
Multi-factor authentication, whether it’s a face ID requirement or the use of an authentication app, adds an extra layer of security beyond just a password. It typically requires something you know (such as your password) and something you have (like a code from your phone or an authentication app, or facial recognition), Timmons said. —Austin Skeete
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