Scams didn’t slow down in 2025—and all signs point to the problem getting worse in 2026.
While the final numbers aren’t in yet, reported losses are already on track to break records. Through just the first half of 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) cited nearly $6.5 billion in scam-related losses, putting the year on pace to surpass 2024’s total. And it’s not just isolated incidents: 73% of Americans say they’ve experienced at least one scam or online attack.
As scams become more convincing, often powered by AI and designed to blend into everyday digital life, basic “spot the red flag” advice isn’t enough anymore. Protecting yourself now means tightening up your digital hygiene: how you manage passwords, personal data, online accounts, and the everyday tools you rely on to stay safe.
The good news is that modern protection has evolved just as quickly as the threats. Many of the most effective safeguards can be set up quickly and then work in the background over time.
Below, we’ll walk through practical steps you can take to improve your digital hygiene for 2026, using protections included with McAfee+ to help reduce your exposure to scams, data misuse, and identity theft.
1) Replace every weak password, starting with your email.
Think about your passwords and everything they give you access to … your finances, online shopping accounts, banking, and of course every important thing in your email account.
Now are any of those passwords weak, re-used, or highly similar? Don’t worry if the answer to that is “yes.” You can switch them over to strong, unique passwords across all your accounts. Using a password manager like ours helps you create strong, unique while also storing them securely. Quickly.
| Q&A | Q: Should I use a password manager?
A: Yes. It’s the easiest way to create strong, unique passwords for all your online accounts, which protects you from data breaches and hacks. |
So, what makes up a “strong and unique” password?
It contains a mix of 16 uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols while never reusing that password elsewhere. That makes the password incredibly tough to crack and protects your other accounts if that password gets caught up in a breach (it won’t work on any other account).
Yes, creating strong and unique passwords for your dozens and dozens of accounts can be … demanding. But that’s where a password manager comes in. It does that work for you.
2) Delete those old accounts and protect yourself from data breaches.
Speaking of all the accounts you have, how many of them do you really need? And how many of them have you forgotten about altogether? It’s time to track them down and close them up. Why? Data breaches of various sizes hack into an estimated 3.5 million accounts on average each day, so the odds of an old account of yours getting compromised are better than you might think. But where do you even start?
|
Q&A |
Q: Should I delete my old accounts?
A: Yes. When you delete old accounts, you reduce your digital footprint and lower the risk of exposure to data breaches, both of which help protect your personal info. |
Our Online Account Cleanup can track down those old accounts for you. It scans for accounts you no longer use and helps you delete the ones you choose, along with your personal info. In our McAfee+ Advanced and McAfee+ Ultimate plans, you get full-service Online Account Cleanup, which sends the data deletion requests for you.
3) Keep spammers and scammers at bay by removing personal info from the internet.
Data brokers sell all kinds of info that power all kinds of spam and scams. It’s one way spammers and scammers get contact info like emails and phone numbers, and it’s yet another way they get detailed info to target their ads and their attacks.
For example, beyond your full name, home address, phone numbers, email addresses, and date of birth, many also have info about your family members, employment, and past purchases. Data brokers might gather and sell other info like religious and political leanings, health conditions, and employment history. Simply put, this detailed profile makes it easier for spammers and scammers to target you.
|
Q&A
|
Q: Can people find my detailed personal info online?
Yes, and some of the easiest places to find it are on data broker sites. They collect and analyze up to hundreds of bits of personal info, often without your knowledge or consent. Further, they’ll sell it to any buyer, including scammers. |
Where do they harvest this info? From public records, shopper loyalty programs, and even from app data—all kinds of sources. And that underscores the problem, some data brokers keep exhaustive amounts of data about people, all in one place.
And they’ll sell it to anyone who pays for it. You can help reduce those scam texts and calls by removing your info from those sites. A service like our Personal Data Cleanup can do that work for you. It scans some of the riskiest data broker sites, shows you which ones are selling your personal info, and helps you remove it.
4) Protect privacy with a VPN (it’s not just for travel anymore).
One of the first things that comes to mind about VPNs is travel, a great way you can stay secure while using public Wi-Fi in airports and cafes. It works at home as well, giving you an extra layer of security when you bank, shop, or do anything that involves sensitive info. Yet it offers another big benefit. It helps make you more private, because it’s not just hackers who want to snoop on you online.
|
Q&A Block
|
Q: What is a VPN?
A: A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, hides your IP address and encrypts your internet connection in a secure “tunnel” that shields your online activity from snoops, advertisers, and your Internet Service Provider (ISP). |
For example, some ISPs collect your browsing data. In the United States and many other countries, ISPs can legally monitor and record info about the websites you visit and the apps you use. They can use it for advertising and analytics purposes, and, in some cases, they may share it with third parties.
When you use a VPN, it encrypts all the data leaving your device and routes it through a secure server. As a result, your ISP can only see that you are connected to a VPN server, and it can’t track which websites you visit or the data you send and receive. Without a doubt, going online with a VPN makes you safer and keeps you more private.
5) As AI scams become the norm, get a scam detector working for you.
We saw big spikes in several types of scams over the year, and naturally a spike in reported losses followed. One reason for the jump is that AI tools have made it even easier for scammers to create convincing texts, emails, and deepfake videos designed to rip people off.
|
Q&A |
Q: How bad are scams today?
A: According to a 2025 Pew Research Center survey, 73% of U.S. adults said they’ve experienced at least one online scam or attack, with 32% reporting an incident within the past year.iv |
They’re getting tougher to spot too. In the earlier days of AI-created content, you could often spot the telltale signs of a fake. That’s not always the case anymore, and scams are looking more and more sophisticated as AI tools evolve.
But you have tools of your own. Our Scam Detector protects you across text, email, and video by spotting scams and detecting deepfake videos (like the one of a deepfaked Taylor Swift promoting a bogus cookware offer). You also have our Web Protection which detects links to scam sites and other sketchy corners of the internet while you browse. Both will alert you if a link might take you to a sketchy site. It’ll also block those sites if you accidentally tap or click on a bad link.
6) And just in case, get the reassurance of identity theft protection.
So, let’s say the unfortunate happens to you. You get scammed. Maybe it’s a few bucks, maybe it’s more. You’re faced with a couple issues. One, that money could be gone for good depending on how you paid the scammer. Two, also depending on the payment method, the scammer might have your financial info.
|
Q&A Block
|
Q: What is the cost of identity theft?
A: Based on reports to the FTC, the median loss was about $500 in 2024, with more than 10% of victims claiming they lost $10,000 or more. However, it levels an emotional cost as well. The time and stress involved in resolving identity theft can be significant. |
This is where something like our ID Theft & Restoration Coverage comes in. It gives you up to $2 million in identity theft coverage and identity restoration support if it’s determined you’re a victim of identity theft. Further, it puts a licensed recovery pro on the case to restore your credit and your identity, which takes that time-consuming burden off your shoulders.
The post New Year Reset: A Quick Guide to Improving Your Digital Hygiene in 2026 appeared first on McAfee Blog.
About Author
