NEW YORK (AP) — October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which means it’s the perfect time to learn how to protect yourself from scams.

“Scams have become so sophisticated now. Phishing emails, texts, spoofing caller ID, all of this technology gives scammers that edge,” says Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center.

As scammers find new ways to steal money and personal information, consumers should be more vigilant about who they trust, especially online. A quick way to remember what to do when you think you’re getting scammed is to think about the three S’s, says Alissa Abdullah, also known as Dr. Jay, Mastercard’s deputy chief security officer.

“Stay suspicious, stop for a second (and think about it) and stay protected,” she says.

Whether it’s romance scams or job scams, impersonators are looking for ways to trick you into giving them money or sharing your personal information. Here’s what to know:

Know scammers’ tactics

Three common tactics used by scammers are based on fear, urgency and money, security expert Petros Efstathopoulos says. Here’s how they work:

• Fear: When a scammer contacts you via phone or email, they use language that makes it seem like there is a problem that you need to solve. For example, a scammer contacts you over email telling you that your tax return has an error and if you don’t fix it you’ll get in trouble.

• Urgency: Because scammers are good at creating a sense of urgency, people tend to rush, which makes them vulnerable. Scammers often tell people they need to act right away, which can lead to them sharing private information such as their Social Security numbers.

• Money: Scammers use money as bait, Efstathopoulos says. They might impersonate tax professionals or the IRS saying you will get a bigger tax refund than you expect if you pay them for their services or share your personal information.

Know the most common scams

Simply being aware of typical scams can help, experts say. Robocalls in particular frequently target vulnerable individuals like seniors, people with disabilities and people with debt.

“If you get a robocall out of the blue playing a recorded message trying to get you to buy something, just hang up,” says James Lee, chief operating officer at the Identity Theft Resource Center. “Same goes for texts – anytime you get them from a number you don’t know asking you to pay, wire or click on something suspicious.”

Lee urges consumers to hang up and call the company or institution in question at an official number.

Romance scams

These often target lonely and isolated individuals, says Will Maxson, assistant director of the Division of Marketing Practices at the Federal Trade Commission. These scams can take place over longer periods of time – even years.

Kate Kleinart, 70, who lost tens of thousands to a romance scam over several months, said to be vigilant if a new Facebook friend is exceptionally good-looking, asks you to download WhatsApp to communicate, attempts to isolate you from friends and family and/or gets romantic very quickly.

“If you’re seeing that picture of a very handsome person, ask someone younger in your life – a child, a grandchild, a niece or a nephew – to help you reverse-image search or identify the photo,” she says.

Job scams

These involve a person pretending to be a recruiter or a company in order to steal money or information from a job seeker.

Scammers tend to use the name of an employee from a large company and craft a job posting that matches similar positions. An initial red flag is that scammers usually try to make the job very appealing, Velasquez says.

“They’re going to have very high salaries for somewhat low-skilled work,” she says. “And they’re often saying it’s a 100% remote position because that’s so appealing to people.”

Investment scams

Lois Greisman, an associate director of marketing practices at the Federal Trade Commission, says an investment scam constitutes any get-rich-quick scheme that lures targets via social media accounts or online ads.

Investment scammers typically add different forms of “testimony,” such as from other social media accounts, to support that the “investment” works. Many of these also involve cryptocurrency. To avoid falling for these frauds, the FTC recommends independently researching the company – especially by searching the company’s name along with terms like “review” or “scam.”

Quiz scams

When you’re using Facebook or scrolling Google results, be aware of quiz scams, which typically appear innocuous and ask about topics you might be interested in, such as your car or favorite TV show. They may also ask you to take a personality test.

Despite these benign-seeming questions, scammers can then use the personal information you share to respond to security questions from your accounts or hack your social media to send malware links to your contacts.

Marketplace scams

When buying or selling products on Instagram or Facebook Marketplace, keep in mind that not everyone that reaches out to you has the best intentions.

To avoid being scammed when selling via an online platform, the FTC recommends checking buyers’ profiles, not sharing any codes sent to your phone or email, and avoiding accepting online payments from unknown persons.

Unknown number? Don’t pick up

Scammers often reach out by phone, Ben Hoffman, Head of Strategy and Consumer Products at Fifth Third Bank recommends that you don’t pick up unknown incoming calls.

“Banks don’t ask you for your password,” Hoffman says. If you believe your bank is trying to reach out, call them at a number listed on their website.

Use technology

There are many tools are your disposal that can be used to protect yourself from scammers online.

• Use a password manager to ensure you’re utilizing a complex password that scammers can’t guess.

• Regularly checking your credit report and bank statements is a good practice since it can help you identify if someone has been using your bank account without your knowledge.

• Turn on multi-factor verification to make sure impersonators aren’t able to access your social media or bank accounts.

When in doubt, call for help

As scams get more sophisticated, it’s difficult to know who to trust or if a person is actually real or an impersonator. If you aren’t sure if a job recruiter is real or if your bank is actually asking you for information, find organizations that can help you, recommended Velasquez.

Organizations like the Identity Theft Protection Center and the AARP Fraud Watch Network offer free services for customers who need help identifying scams or knowing what to do if you’ve been a victim of a scam.