Source: General / Radio One

Due to the increase in online and digital scams, major cities like Houston have created initiatives to help citizens protect their hard-earned money. And as technology allows advanced scammers to target you via phone calls, emails, texts and social media, even the most savvy shoppers could be potential victims if not armed with the proper tools to protect their cash.

Scams not only cause financial loss but also damage the trust and safety of victims from all walks of life. Whether its a bad link, ATM skimmer, identity theft or a purchased item that never arrived.. the amount of money made from scamming innocent consumers increases every year.. and so do the strategies used to steal billions of dollars all across the globe.

Scroll below for 10 practical tips for protecting yourself against scams.