How to protect yourself online: 5 simple steps against online scams

SafePhone · Updated September 27, 2026

Deepfakes, impersonator accounts, calls from fake bank staff and spoofed links mean anyone can become a victim. This article sums up how to protect yourself online in 5 simple steps that need no technical knowledge — and how to help keep your family safe too.

Protect yourself and your family from scams with SafePhone

5 steps to protect yourself online at a glance

Step 1: Lock your profile to guard against deepfakes

With AI advancing rapidly, creating fake images, voices or videos (deepfakes) is getting easier and harder to tell apart from the real thing. Anyone on Facebook or Instagram — not just celebrities — is at risk of being impersonated.

The main cause is the habit of posting photos, personal details and even videos publicly on social media. This unintentionally hands bad actors free material to create sensitive, false images and videos used to defame, mislead or extort victims. There have been many cases of deepfake abuse causing damage to people's reputations as well as financial losses. See also habits that leak your personal data.

So limit how many personal photos you share publicly, and turn on Lock profile to make it harder for strangers to view, download or use your photos.

How to lock your Facebook profile

1. Open the Facebook app → go to your profile → tap the three-dot icon (⋯).
2. Choose Lock profile.
3. Read the information → tap Lock your profile → confirm with OK.

Menu names may vary depending on your app version, and this option may not be available in every country. Once it's on, only your friends can see your photos, posts and stories, which greatly reduces the risk of impersonation. On social networks without a similar feature, switch your account to private mode (if available) and be careful about sharing personal information and photos.

Step 2: Verify who's behind a social media account

Because social media allows anonymity, fake accounts are multiplying and are used for many purposes, including scams. Common warning signs:

• The account has few friends, few posts, or was created recently.
• Profile details are vague or inconsistent.
• It messages you asking to borrow money, asking for an OTP code or sending strange links.
• It pressures you to act quickly or keep things secret.

If you get a friend request from an account using a friend's or relative's photos, and that account then messages you asking for a loan or urging you to install an unfamiliar app — be careful. This is a very common scam script.

How to verify

• Call the person in the photo directly on a phone number you saved beforehand — never a number the account gives you.
• Have a longer video call to verify who is behind the account. Note: scammers can use deepfakes in short video calls, so ask about details only the two of you would know.
• If you find a fake account, warn the people around you right away and use the platform's impersonation report feature.

Fanpages impersonating government agencies and businesses are also very common — see how to spot a fake Facebook page.

Step 3: Use a call screening app

Scam calls, calls impersonating banks or authorities, and annoying marketing calls are increasingly common. Without some form of control, you or your family can easily pick up out of habit and fall into a trap. A call screening app adds a layer of protection before you answer by checking, flagging or blocking suspicious numbers.

Two common call screening methods

SafePhone combines whitelist and blacklist

SafePhone offers both methods so you can choose what works for you:

• Use the blacklist to automatically block known scam numbers — see how to block unknown and scam numbers automatically.
• Use the whitelist to accept calls only from your contacts — see how to block calls from numbers not in your contacts.
• Combine both for stronger protection.

SafePhone also:

• Shows a warning when a suspicious call comes in.
• Blocks calls automatically before the phone rings (on Android).
• Works offline with a preloaded, up-to-date blacklist.
• Sends alerts to your family via Slack when something unusual happens.

By combining a whitelist and a blacklist, SafePhone not only spares you from nuisance calls but also significantly reduces your risk of being scammed over the phone.

Step 4: Check links before you tap

Link-based scams (phishing) are one of the most common forms of fraud today. A single tap on a fake link can get your account stolen, cost you money or expose your personal information.

Warning signs of a scam link

• The domain looks almost like the official website but with small changes.
• The link is unusually long, contains strange characters or has been shortened.
• The accompanying message is urgent, threatening or pushes you to act.
• There are spelling or grammar mistakes, or the layout looks unprofessional.

Many people think a website with a padlock icon (HTTPS) is completely safe, but it isn't: scammers can still create fake websites with HTTPS. Before you tap:

• Hover over the link (on a computer) to see the real address.
• Long-press the link (on a phone) to see the full URL.

Apps like SafePhone can check and block dangerous URLs before you visit them, acting as an extra protective filter — see how to check if a website is a scam and how to block scam websites.

Step 5: Share what you know with people around you

Information security isn't just a personal responsibility — it's a shared one. Sharing what you know about scam tactics helps your family and friends avoid unnecessary risks, especially the common scam tactics in 2026 that are currently spreading.

Tools like SafePhone can send alerts when they detect unknown calls or suspicious links, helping you keep an eye on and protect your family:

• Notifications when an unknown number calls — see protect your family from scam calls.
• Alerts when a suspicious link is opened — see get alerts when family members open suspicious links.
• Early detection of signs of a scam.

Even a small action like sharing useful information helps build a safer Internet for everyone.

More phone security habits worth adopting

Beyond the 5 steps above, these habits help protect your accounts even if scammers already have some of your information:

• Turn on two-factor authentication for email, Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram and e-wallets; prefer an authenticator app or your bank app's built-in OTP over SMS OTP — see why in fake BTS stations (fake cell towers).
• Use a unique password for every account; use a password manager if they're hard to remember.
• Never read out an OTP code to anyone, even someone claiming to be bank staff or a police officer.
• Only install apps from Google Play / the App Store, and never install APK files sent via messages — see how to detect malicious apps.
• Keep your operating system and apps updated to patch security holes.

What to do if you've been scammed online

1. Immediately call your bank's official hotline (the number printed on the back of your card) to lock your account and card.
2. Change the password of the compromised account and any other account that uses the same password; sign out of unfamiliar devices.
3. If your social media account has been taken over, tell your friends and family so they don't get scammed next.
4. Keep evidence (messages, phone numbers, the bank account number that received the money) and report it to the police.

Conclusion

Protecting yourself online doesn't require technical knowledge: lock your profile, verify before sending money, screen calls, check links and share what you know with your family. To make screening automatic for the whole family, install SafePhone.

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