There’s a good chance you’ve received one of those strange text messages. Maybe it claimed there was suspicious activity on your bank account. Maybe it warned that your Netflix subscription was about to expire. Maybe it arrived as an innocent-looking email asking you to click a link. And according to the numbers, many Americans are falling for it.
The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report revealed that more than 1 million cybercrime complaints were filed last year, resulting in nearly $21 billion in losses. At the same time, the Pew Research Center reported that 73% of U.S. adults have experienced some form of online scam or cyberattack.
For Traci Leffner, President of Sovran, Inc., those statistics are exactly why her company has started offering educational courses focused on internet safety, scam prevention, and cyber attack awareness.
“There isn’t a day that goes by without something happening in this space,” Leffner says. And increasingly, she says artificial intelligence is making the problem even bigger.
Why Hackers Target Everyone
Many people assume cybercriminals only go after large corporations or wealthy individuals. But Leffner says that assumption can create a false sense of security. “You’re never too small,” she explains. “Hackers don’t care about what they steal, but they know you will.”
In many cases, she says, criminals are not even interested in the actual information stored on a computer. Instead, they want access to the system itself. Once files are locked or compromised, victims are often pressured to pay to recover them.
“It’s not the information that the hackers are seeking,” Leffner says. “They just want you not to have the information and want to see what you’re willing to pay for it.”
People without any type of cybersecurity support or monitoring may face even greater exposure. That includes retirees, solopreneurs, and individuals who handle sensitive information from home without professional oversight. “We are educating our current clients, but there are so many people out there without the opportunity for managed services,” Leffner says. “And the aging population hasn’t necessarily been educated on this topic, either.”
This past spring, Sovran hosted a course focused specifically on scams targeting older adults.
The New Face of Scams
Years ago, many scams were easy to spot because they contained misspelled words, awkward phrasing, or unrealistic promises. Today, AI tools are helping criminals create more believable messages, fake voices, and convincing websites.
“With AI, as much as everyone loves it, it’s also opening a big door for hackers,” Leffner says. “They can do so much more than ever before.” That’s why she believes people need to become more cautious about trusting things online. “We need to heighten our diligence,” she says. “We can’t be so trusting.”
Sometimes, scams even happen in person. Leffner recalls hearing about a scheme during the holiday season in which people delivered flowers to nursing homes and then claimed the delivery fee had not been paid. Victims were pressured into handing over financial information on the spot.
“If something like that happens to you, call the source,” she says. That same advice applies to emails, text messages, and social media advertisements. “Don’t ever click links,” Leffner says. “If you get an email asking you to click a link, don’t do it. Go log in to your account separately to see what’s going on.”
Small Habits Matter
While cybercrime can sound overwhelming, Leffner says simple habits can go a long way. Her first recommendation is simple: slow down. Many scams succeed because people react emotionally or too quickly. A message may create panic by claiming an account has been frozen or that a payment is overdue.
Instead of reacting immediately, Leffner encourages people to verify the source first. “Pick up the phone and call,” she says. “If someone is asking you for information and it doesn’t seem right, call the supposed source.”
She also encourages stronger password habits and two-factor authentication whenever possible. Rather than relying on short passwords with random characters, Leffner suggests creating memorable passphrases. For example, users might start with the name of the account they are accessing and add a unique combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. “Passwords don’t need to be overly complex,” she says. “But the longer it is, the longer it will take someone to hack into it.”
And if a deal on social media seems too tempting to ignore, she suggests taking a different route. “Avoid the temptation to buy stuff from reels on social media,” Leffner says. “Take the extra step and go to the company website instead.”
Learning Before It Happens
For Sovran, these educational courses are all about helping people become more aware before something goes wrong. Upcoming classes cover topics such as scam prevention, internet safety, and what to do after a cyber attack. Information about future events can be found on the Sovran website under the support and events sections.
For those needing additional support, Sovran also provides IT services for solopreneurs and mid-sized businesses, including computer health monitoring, patching updates, and help desk assistance. “We will help anyone who wants help,” Leffner says. And in today’s online landscape, a little extra caution may go further than ever before.
“Hackers don’t care what they steal. They just know you want it back.”