Pause the conversation.
Scammers hate delays. Do not answer immediately, click immediately, or pay immediately. A real organization can wait while you verify.
Community Resource
Scam Prevention
A practical guide for spotting scams, slowing down pressure, and protecting your money, accounts, and identity.
Start Here
Scams work by creating pressure before you have time to think.
Most scams are not about someone being careless. They are designed to trigger fear, urgency, excitement, trust, embarrassment, or confusion. The goal is to get you to act before you verify.
This page is a calm checklist you can send to someone who may be unsure, worried, or being pressured to pay, click, share information, or keep a conversation secret.
How Not To Fall Victim
Use a simple safety process every time.
End the contact.
Hang up, stop texting, close the chat, or leave the website. Do not use a phone number or link the caller or message gave you.
Verify separately.
Use a trusted website, official app, statement, card, or saved contact. Search carefully, because scammers also buy ads and fake listings.
Protect accounts.
Never share passwords, one-time codes, recovery links, account numbers, Social Security numbers, or remote access to your device.
Watch payment methods.
Gift cards, crypto, wire transfers, payment apps, cash reload cards, and mailed cash are major warning signs because they are hard to recover.
Ask someone else.
Before paying or sending information, talk to a trusted person. A second set of eyes can break the pressure loop.
Red Flags
Stop immediately if you see these patterns.
You must act right now.
You are told to keep it secret.
You are asked to buy gift cards.
You are asked to send crypto.
Someone wants remote access.
Someone asks for a login code.
You must pay before receiving money.
The relationship depends on money.
Common Scams
Know the setup before it reaches you.
Phishing emails
How they work: A message looks like it came from a bank, store, delivery company, or account provider.
What to do: Do not click the link. Open the official app or type the known website yourself.
Text message scams
How they work: A text says there is a package problem, unpaid toll, bank alert, prize, or suspicious login.
What to do: Ignore the link and verify through the official company or agency.
Phone spoofing
How they work: The caller ID appears local or official, but the caller is pretending to be someone else.
What to do: Hang up and call the organization using a number you know is real.
Tech support scams
How they work: A popup, call, or message says your computer is infected and asks for remote access or payment.
What to do: Do not give access. Close the page, restart if needed, and ask trusted support to inspect the device.
Bank imposters
How they work: Someone claims your money is at risk and tells you to transfer it to a safe account.
What to do: Banks do not need your password or code. Contact your bank directly.
Government imposters
How they work: A caller claims to be from the IRS, Social Security, law enforcement, or a court and threatens arrest or penalties.
What to do: Real agencies do not demand gift cards, crypto, or instant payment by phone.
Romance scams
How they work: Someone builds trust online, avoids meeting, and eventually asks for money, crypto, cards, or help.
What to do: Do not send money to someone you have not met and verified in real life.
Investment and crypto scams
How they work: The pitch promises high returns, secret opportunities, no risk, or pressure to move money quickly.
What to do: Be suspicious of guaranteed profit. Verify registration and avoid sending funds under pressure.
Job and task scams
How they work: A fake employer offers easy remote work, sends a check, asks you to buy equipment, or asks for personal data early.
What to do: Verify the company independently and never send money back from a deposited check.
Rental and marketplace scams
How they work: A listing looks great, the seller has excuses, and you are pushed to pay a deposit before seeing or verifying.
What to do: Meet safely, verify ownership, and avoid upfront payment through unusual methods.
Charity scams
How they work: Fraudsters use disasters, tragedies, or emotional stories to rush donations.
What to do: Donate through the official charity website and check the organization first.
Family emergency scams
How they work: Someone pretends to be a relative, friend, attorney, or officer and says money is needed immediately.
What to do: Call the person or another family member directly before doing anything.
If You Already Responded
Move quickly, but do not panic.
- Contact your bank, card company, payment app, or crypto platform immediately.
- Change passwords from a clean device, starting with email and financial accounts.
- Turn on multi-factor authentication where available.
- Run security updates and trusted malware scans if remote access or downloads were involved.
- Save screenshots, phone numbers, emails, receipts, wallet addresses, and messages.
- Report the scam to the proper official channels.