How Knowing Yijing Can Help You Avoid Being Scammed

Why do intelligent people still get scammed?

Often, it is not because they lack intelligence. It is because scammers know how to create the wrong situation for good judgement: urgency, fear, greed, excitement or misplaced trust.

This is where Yijing offers surprisingly practical wisdom.

Yijing teaches us not merely to ask, “Is this opportunity good?” but to examine the person, situation, timing, relationship and changes taking place.

1. Yin Yang 阴阳 — Look at Both Sides

When something appears extremely attractive, deliberately look for its opposite.

High return? Ask about the risk.
Great opportunity? Ask what could go wrong.
Very friendly stranger? Ask why the sudden trust.

Yin and Yang remind us:

When you see only the good side, you are probably not seeing the whole picture.

2. Easy Change 变易 — Watch What Changes

Scammers often begin by building trust. Then something changes.

Suddenly there is an emergency.
Suddenly you must transfer money.
Suddenly there is a “last chance.”
Suddenly you are told not to speak to anyone.

Yijing is the Book of Changes. Train yourself to notice the moment the situation changes.

That change may be your warning signal.

3. Timing 时 — Don't Let Others Control Your Timing

Scammers love urgency:

“Pay now.”
“Act immediately.”
“Don't miss this opportunity.”

Yijing teaches the importance of 时—timing.

Sometimes the wisest action is not to act yet.

Stop. Verify independently. Speak to someone you trust. Never allow another person to manufacture your timing for you.

4. Cause and Effect 因果 — Ask What Is Causing This?

Instead of being hypnotised by the promised result, examine the cause.

Someone promises you extraordinary returns.

Ask: Where exactly does the money come from?

Someone says you have won something.

Ask: Why did I receive it?

Someone claiming authority demands money.

Ask: Why would the genuine organisation require payment this way?

Yijing thinking moves from 果 (effect) back to 因 (cause).

If you cannot understand the cause, don't rush toward the promised result.

5. 64 Hexagrams 64卦 — Different Situations Require Different Responses

Not every opportunity is a scam, and not every stranger is dishonest.

Yijing therefore does not teach paranoia.

It teaches situational awareness.

Different circumstances require different responses. Sometimes advance. Sometimes investigate. Sometimes wait. Sometimes withdraw.

The important skill is knowing which situation you are actually in.

The Yijing Anti-Scam Question

Before giving money, personal information or trust, ask yourself:

“What am I not seeing?”

That one question can interrupt fear, greed and urgency long enough for rational judgement to return.

Yijing cannot guarantee that you will never be scammed. Modern scams can be highly sophisticated, especially with AI-generated voices, images and messages.

But Yijing can develop something increasingly valuable:

the habit of observing change, questioning appearances, understanding causes and refusing to act at the wrong time.

Perhaps the greatest protection is not knowing every scam.

It is learning how to see a situation before the situation controls you.

That is one very practical way Yijing can protect us in the AI era.

The writer of this article Andy Ng is the author of 2 Yijing books: Yijing Explained and Decoding the Wealth Codes with Yijing