One night, I typed my name into Google.
Not for vanity reasons (okay, not just vanity reasons). I wanted to see what a scammer could learn about me with just a search bar and a curious mind.
Within three minutes, I had a list of restaurants I’d visited, a photo of my dog, a cousin’s name, my hometown, a few mentions in old school newsletters, and—disturbingly—a forgotten public profile from a data broker site that listed my former address and phone number.
Now, imagine if I were someone trying to scam… me.
In 2025, the gap between your online life and your real life is basically gone. And while we’ve talked a lot about digital privacy over the years, we haven’t talked enough about how your perfectly normal internet trail—Instagram likes, Facebook comments, old tweets, that one post from 2014 where you mentioned your favorite teacher—is becoming one of the most powerful tools scammers can use against you.
Your Internet Breadcrumbs Are Their Blueprint
The modern scammer doesn’t need to hack your account. They don’t need to break into your bank. They just need you—your name, a few details, and a little bit of your trust.
With AI and automation, scammers today can:
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Scrape your public info to impersonate people you know. That birthday shoutout to your sister? That’s all they need to mimic her texting style and ask for a “favor.”
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Guess your security questions. If your high school mascot is online, and so is your dog’s name, well… good luck with that “forgotten password” reset.
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Tailor phishing emails. A subject line like “Follow-up on your Venice trip photos” hits a lot harder when you just posted about Venice.
It’s called social engineering, and it works not because people are stupid—but because they’re human.
Real-Life Example: The Woman Who Got a Call From Herself
Earlier this year, a woman in Illinois got a call from her own number. On the line was a voice that sounded eerily like hers, panicked and urgent: “They’ve cloned my phone. I need help.”
It turned out to be a scam—a voice-cloned message made using audio clips from old YouTube videos she had posted. The scammers had done their homework. They knew her dog’s name. They referenced her church. And when they asked for a wire transfer “to protect her account,” she almost did it.
Because it felt real.
That’s the point.
So, What Can You Do?
I’m not here to tell you to delete your entire online life (though I won’t stop you). But I am saying that you should know what’s out there—because the people trying to scam you definitely do.
Here’s how to start:
Step 1: Google Yourself Like a Scammer Would
Search your full name in quotes. Then try it with your city, your workplace, your school, your partner’s name, etc. Try image search too.
Look at the results like you’re trying to build a fake profile of yourself. What do you learn?
Step 2: Clean House
Delete or lock down anything that reveals:
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Birthdates
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Pets’ names
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Travel plans (especially future ones)
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Family member connections
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Old email addresses or phone numbers
Check Facebook’s privacy settings. Make your Instagram private if you’re posting personal info. Remove yourself from people-finder sites like Spokeo, Whitepages, and MyLife.
Step 3: Use the Info to Strengthen, Not Weaken
Assume any piece of personal info a scammer could find online is already compromised.
That means:
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Use 2FA on everything (not just your bank).
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Avoid security questions that can be guessed or Googled.
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Never reuse passwords (get a password manager if you haven’t yet).
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Set up safe words with family members for emergencies.
Step 4: Talk to Your People
Most scams aren’t caught by the victim—they’re stopped by someone around them. Talk to your friends, your parents, your kids. Show them how to Google themselves. Make it a thing.
(Yes, even your Uncle Larry with the “funny” Facebook posts. He’s a prime target.)
The Bottom Line
Scammers today aren’t brute-forcing your password. They’re brute-forcing your life.
And unless we all start thinking about our online footprints not as a collection of harmless posts—but as a map that can be weaponized—we’re going to keep falling into the same traps.
So take five minutes. Google yourself.
Not to see how important you are.
But to see what someone with bad intentions could learn—and stop them before they try.
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