Vote now: Have you ever been scammed over the phone?

In our hyper-connected era, staying in touch is a breeze. You can call, text, email, and video chat with friends on the other side of the globe – it's like the world shrank and folded into your pocket. Yet, as much as I love this digital playground, there's a downside. Yep, you guessed it – scammers who seem to be forever devising new ways to exploit technology.

You've likely heard of deep fake videos, the pinnacle of impersonation. Crafted with unsettling precision, they blur the line between reality and deception. Then there are the AI-generated voices that slip into your life like old friends and the cunning crooks planting fraudulent business listings on Google Maps.

The tactics grow bolder with each innovation, making the classic phone call or email scam appear almost nostalgic. You know, the good ol' "I'm a Nigerian prince, send me your bank info" routine.

However, just recently, a new study revealed which US carriers are favored by scammers and reminded us that phone scams are far from gone. Scammers are raking in tens of billions of dollars a year. And guess what? They love text scams. You know, the ones that threaten to pull the plug on your phone service or lights unless you pay up pronto.

And it turns out scammers are all about convenience – for themselves, of course. They pick services we can't live without and turn them against us. Sneaky, right? And let's not forget the classic move: pretending to be your bank. They'll sweet-talk you into sharing passwords, PINs, and all the secret stuff.

A company that battles spam calls – Truecaller – says nearly 70 million Americans fell for these scams in just one year. That's like a whole city of scam victims!

So, I could not help but wonder: Have you ever been scammed? Phone call? Text? Email? Maybe the latest AI con job? And hey, if you've got a story to tell, spill the beans! Sharing your story might just save someone else from hitting the same pothole.

So, vote now and share your wisdom in the comments below.