Yes, sometimes our eyes can glaze over when we read the word “scam.” There’s an endless variety. And unless it affects us or someone close to us, most of the time, we don’t give it much thought.

But playing offense and defense is key when protecting our wallets.

The latest piece of advice: avoid a Google search (or a search on any other traditional search engine) for “airline customer service number.”

Scammers are setting up fake sites. So when you Google, say, the Delta customer service number — perhaps while you’re at an airport trying to quickly make changes to your itinerary — you could find and call a fake number.

Thankfully, there’s an easy way to avoid these insidious snares. Always get the customer service phone number through the airline’s app. If you must get it from a website, go directly to the airline’s website rather than a Google search – and make sure the URL begins with “HTTPS.”

(The “s” at the end stands for “secure.”)

Airlines are making apps more and more helpful. So as annoying as it can be to add even more pages of apps on our phones, it’s a good idea to use them.

Often you get the fastest info on delayed or canceled flights through the app. And contacting customer service via live chat on an app can sometimes be the fastest way to get help when an issue arises (often even better, or at least faster, than in-person gate agents, especially if there’s a long line after a flight change).

In this episode, Wes Moss breaks down the Retire Sooner Method — your ultimate retirement happiness GPS. Just like navigating an unfamiliar city, navigating retirement without a map guarantees you’ll get lost. Wes shares the 5 essential steps to build a guided blueprint, maximize your financial freedom, and dramatically reduce money anxiety.

Later in the episode, Wes tackles a major fear shared by almost every new retiree: touching the principal. Through a real-life client story, he explains how to bridge your income gap using dividend yields and the famous "4% Rule" so you can protect your hard-earned nest egg and retire with total peace of mind.

The Team Clark Consumer Action Center is a free helpline that can help you navigate your money questions. Call 636-492-5275. Visit clark.com/cac for more information.