It started with a simple text message. My son received what seemed like an urgent message from a 'friend' who had 'lost their phone' and needed money because they were 'stuck.' Despite being smart and tech-savvy, he fell for it. Later, my wife nearly got caught by another obvious scam.

Both times, the red flags were clear in hindsight. But in the moment, when emotions run high and scammers apply pressure, even the smartest people can make mistakes.