Being scammed is incredibly unpleasant. Scammers try to trick you and steal your hard-earned money when you're the most vulnerable. We don't want this to happen to our readers, so we've prepared some tips and tricks on how to spot a scam from a mile away.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, scammers often pretend to be contacting you from reputable organizations. They sometimes even make up a name that sounds official. Some pretend to be from known business companies or even charities. They use programs to change the phone number they're calling from, so you never know the real one.

Another clue is when they present you with a problem or a prize. You might be informed that you're in trouble with the government or owe money. They might say that someone from your family had an emergency. Others try to trick you by telling you that you won a lottery, but have to pay a fee to receive the prize.

If they push you to act immediately, it most likely is a scam. Scammers want you to act before you think. They might threaten to arrest, sue you, take away your business license, or even deport you. They will try to keep you on the line if you're speaking on the phone, so you can't check out their story.

One last clue - they will try to persuade you to pay in a specific way. This could be paying with cryptocurrencies, wiring money through a company, or putting money on a gift card and then giving them the numbers on the back of the card.

On its website, the Federal Trade Commission gives some tips on how to avoid getting scammed. For example, block unwanted numbers, don't give anyone your personal or financial details, and don't click on random links. As we've mentioned before, scammers try to pressure you to take action, so don't rush into decisions. Finally, talk to a family member or a friend and tell them about the situation; sometimes a conversation may prevent a scam from happening.

In the unfortunate event of being scammed, many of us would want to get the scammers busted. We would like to track them down and get our revenge. But it is best to leave it to your local authorities. 

Stay safe and keep an eye out for potential scams. Keep scrolling to get some lighthearted laughs at the situations when scammers got trolled by their would-be victims. And don't forget to fire up our previous posts on swindlers getting their just desserts here, here, and here.