Scam Guides
Use these guides to recognize the story a scammer is telling, then check the message, link, website or QR code before you act.
New guides: accounts, refunds and impersonation
Added September 27, 2026. Each guide links to primary sources and separates its publication date from the date of the underlying warning. The counterfeit-postage guide covers an established pattern.
Jury Duty Scam: Fake Warrant Calls and Payment Threats
A caller says you missed jury duty and must pay to avoid arrest. Check the warning signs, verify the court independently, and learn what to do next.
Professional License Scam: Fake Medical Board Calls
Check unexpected medical-board and professional-license threats. Verify renewal or disciplinary claims independently before paying or sharing documents.
Farm Equipment Scam: Check a Tractor Dealer Website
Before wiring money for a tractor or machinery, check for copied dealer websites, fake invoices and payment pressure. Verify the equipment and seller separately.
ChatGPT Phishing Scam: Fake Plus Payment Emails
A ChatGPT Plus payment email may be impersonation. Check the sender and destination, avoid urgency traps, and verify account issues through a trusted route.
Device Code Phishing: A Real Microsoft Login Can Be a Trap
A genuine Microsoft sign-in page can still be part of device-code phishing. Learn why unsolicited codes are risky and what to review after authorization.
Social Security Direct Deposit Scam: Fake Prize Calls
A prize must not require redirecting Social Security benefits. Recognize direct-deposit scams, verify account instructions and respond to unauthorized changes.
Amazon Prime Refund Scam: Verify Refund Messages
Verify Amazon Prime settlement messages using dated FTC guidance. Understand automatic refunds, the conditional $200 total cap, and fee or impersonation traps.
Tribal Tax Credit Scam: IRS Warning About Fake Credits
IRS warns about promoted federal Tribal Tax Credits that do not exist. Check a tax-credit pitch independently before paying a promoter or filing a claim.
Fake Sponsored Ad Scam: Check Search and Social Ads
Paid placement is not proof of legitimacy. Check sponsored search and social-media ads, look-alike domains and redirects before logging in or paying.
Health Insurance Marketplace Scam: Unauthorized ACA Enrollment
Found health coverage you did not authorize? Verify Marketplace enrollment, check an agent's identity and avoid fake HealthCare.gov look-alike websites.
Federal Court Summons Email Scam: Is This Notice Real?
A fake Official Court Notice may use a secure-document link as bait. Verify an unexpected federal summons without opening suspicious links or attachments.
Current scam-message guides
Package delivery text scam
Fake USPS, UPS or FedEx delivery texts, address-update links, and redelivery-fee requests.
USPS & package text scam
Missed delivery, address update, unpaid postage, and redelivery-fee messages.
Fake USPS stamps & shipping labels
Counterfeit Forever Stamps, cut-rate shipping labels, fake postage sellers, and deeply discounted USPS offers.
Unpaid toll text scam
Fake toll-agency notices that push urgent payment or threaten penalties.
Job offer text scam
Fake recruiters, remote-job offers, task scams, fake checks, and pay-to-get-paid schemes.
Bank fraud alert text scam
Fake fraud departments, callback traps, one-time-code theft, and move-your-money stories.
Government imposter scam
Fake agencies, official-looking threats, urgent payment demands, and identity requests.
Romance investment scam
Online relationships that shift into crypto, trading, or requests to send money.
Crypto investment scam
Fake trading platforms, guaranteed returns, and pay-to-withdraw traps.
Wrong number text scam
Friendly unexpected texts that build trust before introducing money or investing.
Task scam
Fake online work, rating tasks, invented earnings, and pay-to-withdraw traps.
Side hustle scam
Easy-money gigs, unexpected recruiters, upfront fees, and identity requests.
Reshipping scam
Fake work-from-home package inspection, relabeling, and forwarding jobs.
Brushing scam
Unexpected packages, fake reviews, and risky QR codes inside shipments.
Loan application text scam
Unexpected loan notices, fake verification links, and identity traps.
Social media investment scam
Fake profiles, guaranteed returns, private chats, and scam trading platforms.
Parking QR code scam
Fake QR stickers on parking meters and signs that lead to phishing payment pages.
Fake car dealership website scam
Copied dealer websites, fake inventory, and deposit requests for vehicles scammers do not own.
Farm equipment scam
Fake tractor and equipment dealers, professional-looking invoices, and wire-transfer requests for equipment that never arrives.
Traffic violation text scam
Fake court notices, QR codes, hearing dates, and urgent payment threats.
CAPTCHA scam
Fake verification pages that trick people into running commands or installing malware.
Utility company scam
Fake shutoff threats and urgent gas, electric, or water payment demands.
Rental listing scam
Copied property listings, fake landlords, and deposits requested before verification.
QR code scam checker
Read a QR destination without opening it, then check the URL warning signals.
Scam safety routine
A repeatable verification process for unfamiliar messages, offers, links, and payment requests.
Common questions people search
Is this website legit?
How to verify a site before paying, logging in, or sharing personal information.
Is this link safe?
How to inspect a suspicious URL before you click it.
Is this text a scam?
How to check unexpected texts, payment requests, account alerts, and phishing messages.
Printable scam checklist
Use the Scam Red Flags Checklist before you click, pay or share sensitive information.
Help after a suspected scam
What to do if you were scammed
Immediate steps after sending money, account details, or personal information.
How to report a scam
FTC and IC3 reporting links plus an evidence checklist.
Scam payment methods
Why scammers prefer bank transfers, crypto, payment apps, wire transfers, and gift cards.
Check by content type
Frequently asked questions
What should I check first when a message feels suspicious?
Start by slowing down and verifying the sender through a separate trusted channel. Do not use the link or phone number in the suspicious message.
Can I paste a suspicious message into SafeOrScamCheck?
Yes. Use Paste text to check common scam patterns, or use Check a link for a suspicious URL.
Can a professional-looking message still be a scam?
Yes. Logos, names, formatting and even some personal details can be copied. Verify the sender and destination independently.
Scam patterns change. Use these guides as a starting point and verify important claims through official, independent channels.