Scam Identifier
Answer a few quick questions — we'll identify the scam type, explain how it works, and tell you exactly what to do (and never do).
Recognize the pattern before you respond
This guide matches what happened to common scam patterns. It does not verify a caller’s identity or prove that a message is fraudulent. Pause, avoid sharing codes or passwords, and verify a request through an independently trusted contact channel.
Have a link or email to inspect? Use the URL Scanner & Phishing Detector for address checks and an optional website preview.
Browse the 22 scam patterns
Tech Support Scam
Someone pretending to be from Microsoft, Apple, or 'Windows Support' claims your computer has a virus and asks for remote access or payment to fix it. Microsoft and Apple never call you out of the blue.
First step: Hang up immediately
Government Impersonation Scam
Scammers pose as the IRS, HMRC, Social Security, immigration authorities, or police to create fear of arrest or fines. Real government agencies do not call demanding immediate payment — they send official mail first.
First step: Hang up immediately
Prize / Lottery Scam
You're told you've won a lottery, sweepstake, or prize — but to claim it you must pay a fee, tax, or processing charge. The prize doesn't exist. You never entered.
First step: Hang up or ignore
Bank Impersonation Scam
Someone claiming to be your bank's fraud team says your account is compromised and asks you to move your money to a 'safe account' or verify your card details. Your bank will never ask you to move money or share your full card number.
First step: Hang up
Grandparent / Emergency Scam
A caller claims to be your grandchild, relative, or their lawyer, saying there's an emergency (car accident, arrest, medical) and they need money immediately — usually cash or wire transfer. They ask you to keep it secret.
First step: Hang up and call your relative directly on their known number
Robocall Scam
Automated calls about car warranties, insurance, student loans, or 'free vacations' are almost always scams or aggressive marketing. Pressing 1 to 'be removed' often confirms your number is active — and triggers more calls.
First step: Hang up immediately
Package Delivery Smishing
A fake text pretending to be FedEx, UPS, USPS, or Royal Mail says your package is held and you need to pay a small fee or update your address via a link. The link goes to a phishing site that steals your card details.
First step: Do not click the link
Bank Smishing (SMS Phishing)
A text appearing to be from your bank says your account is suspended and you must verify via a link. The link leads to a near-perfect fake banking login page that harvests your credentials.
First step: Do not click the link
Friend / Family Impersonation Scam
A text or message claiming to be from a friend, child, or colleague says they're in trouble, lost their phone, and need urgent money. Scammers scrape names from social media to make it convincing.
First step: Call or video call the person on their known number to verify
Fake Job / Work-From-Home Scam
A text or DM offers an easy, high-paying remote job — often 'package reshipping', 'social media manager', or 'mystery shopper'. It leads to money laundering, stolen goods, or personal info theft.
First step: Ignore and block
Generic Smishing Attack
A random link via text — with no context, or a vague 'check this out' — likely leads to a phishing page, a malware download, or a scam site.
First step: Do not click the link
Quishing (QR Code Phishing)
A QR code, on a text, poster, parking meter, or 'undeliverable package' notice, hides its destination until your camera resolves it, so you can't preview the link the way you can with a normal one. Scanning it usually leads to a fake login page or a payment page designed to steal your card.
First step: Check the link your camera shows before opening it, using our URL Scanner if unsure
AI Voice Clone Scam
Modern AI voice-cloning tools can convincingly recreate someone's voice from just a few seconds of audio pulled from a video, voicemail, or social media post. A caller uses the cloned voice of a relative, boss, or colleague to create panic and demand money or a code fast, before you have time to verify.
First step: Hang up and call the person back on their known number, never a number given during the call
ClickFix Attack
A fake error message, CAPTCHA, or 'fix' prompt on a website tells you to open Run, Terminal, or PowerShell and paste in a command 'to verify you're human' or 'to fix a video/download issue.' The pasted command actually installs malware, and within minutes it can steal saved passwords or hand over full remote access.
First step: Close the tab immediately, and do not paste anything
OAuth Consent Phishing
Instead of stealing your password, this scam tricks you into clicking 'Allow' on a real Google, Microsoft, or other login provider's permissions screen for a malicious app the scammer registered. Because it's a genuine permissions grant, it keeps working even after you change your password, and it doesn't trigger MFA the way a stolen password would.
First step: Read exactly what the app is requesting before clicking Allow, and if in doubt, click Cancel
Romance Scam
Someone you met online — through a dating site, social media, or game — built a relationship over weeks or months but has never met in person. Now there's a crisis and they need money. The person is fictional; photos are stolen.
First step: Reverse image search their profile photo (Google Images or TinEye)
Investment / Crypto Fraud (Pig Butchering)
A contact — often romantic — introduces a cryptocurrency or investment platform with amazing returns. You invest small amounts, see 'profits', invest more, then find you can't withdraw. The platform is fake. This scam often involves months of grooming and takes life savings.
First step: Stop depositing immediately
Sextortion / Blackmail Scam
Someone claims to have compromising photos or videos of you and threatens to send them to your contacts unless you pay. They may have hacked your camera, used deepfakes, or collected images you shared. Payment doesn't make them stop — it proves you'll pay.
First step: Do not pay — payment escalates, not ends, the extortion
Overpayment Scam
Someone buying something from you 'accidentally' sends a cheque or payment for more than the asking price and asks you to refund the difference. The original payment later bounces — and you're out both the item and the 'refund'.
First step: Refuse and cancel the transaction
Rogue Trader / Contractor Scam
Someone knocks offering cheap or urgent home repairs — driveways, roofs, gutters. They demand cash upfront, do shoddy or no work, and disappear. Often targets elderly homeowners after storms.
First step: Decline and close the door
Fake Charity / Door Canvasser Scam
A door-to-door collector claims to represent a charity — sometimes a real one, sometimes fake. Cash donations may go entirely to the canvasser's company.
First step: Ask for their charity registration number and verify at charitynavigator.org or your country's charity register
Door-to-Door Sales Scam
High-pressure sales for energy contracts, solar panels, or home security — often using misleading claims about savings or government schemes.
First step: Don't sign anything at the door
Frequently asked questions
What if my situation doesn't match any of the 22 scam patterns?▼
The decision tree covers the most common patterns we see reported, but scammers constantly invent variations. If something feels off and doesn't fit neatly, treat it with the same caution: don't click, don't share information, and verify independently.
Should I report a scam after identifying it?▼
Yes. In the US you can report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and most scam types here include the right agency or platform to report to as part of the response guide.
Is this a replacement for my bank or provider's fraud team?▼
No. This tool helps you recognize what you're dealing with fast. If money or an account is at risk, contact your bank or provider directly using a number you look up yourself, not one from the suspicious message.