Becoming Fraud Wise: A Practical Guide to Digital Safety — Spotting and Stopping Scams & Schemes

Becoming Fraud Wise empowers you with valuable information to protect your family from the growing wave of scams, fraud, and financial traps—transform hesitation and fear into mindset of knowledge, and knowledge into confidence.

Every day, millions of people—seniors, teens, tweens and even savvy professionals—fall victim to increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes at a time when public fraud roles are down by a third. From phone calls, texts and phishing emails to online shopping traps and identity theft, scammers are relentless. But with the right knowledge and an informed mindset, you can stop them in their tracks. It's time you were the smartest person in the room on fraud.

In Becoming Fraud Wise, retired federal investigator and Certified Fraud Examiner Emily Hicks draws on decades of specialized training and experience to reveal the tactics scammers don’t want you to recognize. This practical guide empowers you to recognize red flags, avoid costly mistakes, and protect the people you love most.

Inside, you’ll discover:

• The top scams targeting families today—and how to spot them instantly
• The psychological tricks scammers use to manipulate even smart, cautious people
• A clear framework for teaching teens and seniors to stay safe online and offline
• Proven strategies to safeguard your money, identity, and peace of mind

Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, or simply someone determined to stay a step ahead of criminals, this book gives you the tools to build resilience against fraud in a world where scams never stop evolving. It's the perfect gift for the person in your life needing information and confidence.

Don’t wait until it happens to you. Arm yourself with knowledge, protect your loved ones, and become truly fraud safe.

Perfect for readers of personal finance, cybersecurity, true crime or educational material who want actionable tips in plain language.

They’re watching your every move. Are you watching theirs?

In a world where texts, calls and emails come quickly and deception lurks behind every click, Becoming Fraud Wise is a timely and practical guide to digital safety to help you recognize, prevent and detect scams and schemes. This isn’t just another manual—it’s your shield against the invisible predators of the digital age. From cunning scams to identity theft, this book exposes the dark anatomy of fraud schemes and arms you with the tools to combat them.

They don’t care how old you are. They care about how unaware you are.

From tech-savvy teens to trusting tweens, and even seasoned seniors who’ve “seen it all”—no one is too savvy or immune. Becoming Fraud Wise is the essential read for anyone who thinks they’re too smart, cautious enough, or too experienced to be fooled. Because here’s the truth:

It’s not what we know that gets us—it’s what we don’t.

Becoming Fraud Wise delivers critical knowledge and sharp strategies for prevention, detection, and protection. It empowers you to transform hesitation and uncertainty into confidence and a sharpened resolve—a mindset everyone needs as scams increase and evolve. You have to know it to avoid it. Stay alert. Stay informed. Be fraud-wise.

Emily Hicks is a retired federal investigator and Certified Fraud Examiner drawing on decades of specialized training and experience with local, state and federal levels of law enforcement. Her "calling" for service didn't retire-with sophisticated scams increasing at an alarming rate and public funding to combat fraud down by a third, she's pivoted to sharing her vast knowledge in continuation of service to others.