Online Scam Protection for Writers: How to Stay Safe and Protect Yourself in 2025

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Scams are a huge issue for everyone today. This is particularly important for writers because we do so much of our engagement with readers online. It seems everywhere we turn we are being notified about another breach or getting another possible scam message. But there are things we can do to say safe. Beyond keeping ourselves safe, being wise can protect others as well. 

Craft a Defense

We begin our defense on our knees. In these days of online attacks, a wise writer prays:

• Before opening thecomputer
• Before opening an email or a message
• Before responding. 

Urgency is a common trick every scammer uses. If they can make us react in haste, we are much more vulnerable. The best way to combat this trick is to slow down and take time to pray. 

Combat scammers is to remember who the true enemy is. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.Ephesians 6:12. 

Not all those who are sending scam messages or making scam phone calls are doing it because they want to. There is something new called scam farms. These are full of trafficked men and women who are enslaved and forced to spend hours a day sending out scams. They are punished if they don’t get results—another reason to begin our warfare with prayer. 

10 Steps for Writers to Take to Stay Safe Online

• 1. Remain aware. Every single time there is a security breach, there will be an uptick in scams. Pay attention to notices that warn of a breach that may contain your personal information. Then go one step further. Visit one of these two sites to see if your password/social security number/email address has been compromised. https://haveibeenpwned.com and https://cybernews.com/personal-data-leak-check/

• 2. Develop a healthy skepticism. Every single time you get an email begin by assuming it’s a lie. Skepticism can be a great defense to help us stay safe. Start with the assumption you’re being scammed and unfortunately, you won’t be far from wrong.

• 3.Never use public wifi to sign into any website that uses a password. Public wifi is vulnerable to spoofing. Do your banking, and anything that has a password on a private—secure—wifi.

• 4. Sign up for two-factor authentication. Yes, it’s an inconvenience to sign in with extra steps. But that inconvenience is nothing compared to dealing with a scammer. 

• 5. Use the HIDE YOUR EMAIL option when you enter your email online. This is relatively new and it seems counterintuitive, but it is infinitely safer and can keep hackers from getting your email address in a breach. 

• 6. Use a different password for every single account. Don’t ever repeat an email, this makes you vulnerable to hackers. I use a password program to keep up with my passwords and help me remember when I need to change them. There are lots of good ones out there. Look for 32-bit encryption when you’re choosing one. 

• 7. Assume it's a lie. If you approach everything you see online with a healthy skepticism, you'll be right more often than not. 

• 8. Do your research. When you receive an email, text, or phone call—especially if it's urgent—stop and look at where it originates. Inspect the phone number, the email address and look for discrepancies. THEN look up the contact information online and use that way to contact the company and/or personal who contacted you. Also do a quick search for what has happened and the word scam. That will tell you if this is a common tactic of scammers. 

• 9. Stop believing ANYTHING on social media (and online) is private. It is not. Friends only on Facebook has been breached so often we've lost count. Stop being lured into a false sense of security. 

• 10. Delete and close old and little-used accounts. These are a goldmine for scammers and hackers. And they can cause you problems on related sites. Facebook could shut down your entire library of accounts if an old account gets hacked. 

Bottom Line: Know the Warning Signs

• An email address that’s close to a legitimate email. Look for extra numbers and letters. 
• Poor grammar. Even AI hasn’t perfected perfect grammar in subject lines or in the body of messages. 
• A ticking clock. Scams rely on making the recipient panic or worry about time running out. 
• A request for personal information, like passwords, banking info, user names, etc. Legitimate companies would never ask this information. 
• A link to click. When you’re asked to click a link—even if you think it’s legitimate—go to the website on a separate browser and investigate. 

With these steps we can all stay safe online.

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Online Scam Protection for Writers: How to Stay Safe and Protect Yourself in 2025 from @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Edie uses the truths God has taught her as an author, photographer, and blogger to encourage others. She’s learned to embrace the ultimate contradiction of being an organized creative. As a sought-after speaker, she’s empowered and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others call on God’s strength during challenging times, often using creativity to empower this connection. She also knows the necessity of Soul Care and leads retreats, conferences, and workshops on ways to use creativity to help strengthen our connection with God. 

She and husband Kirk have been married 43+ years with three grown sons and four grandchildren. They live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and can often be found with their big black dog hiking the mountains.