🔗 Resources

How to protect yourself, report scams, and recover

🔍 How to Verify an Email

Before taking action on any suspicious email, follow these steps:

  • Check the sender's email address - Look carefully for misspellings (paypa1.com vs paypal.com)
  • Don't click links - Hover over links to see the actual URL without clicking
  • Contact the company directly - Use official phone numbers or websites, NOT from the email
  • Look for your name - Legitimate companies address you by name, not "Dear Customer"
  • Check the company's real website - Log in directly through your browser, not email links
  • Call a trusted number - Find the number on your bank card or official website

🚨 What to Do If You've Been Scammed

If you've sent money or given personal information to a scammer:

  • Act immediately - Time is critical for stopping transactions
  • Call your bank - Report fraud, request transaction reversal if possible
  • File a police report - Get a report number for your records
  • Report to the FTC - Visit reportfraud.ftc.gov (US) or your country's equivalent
  • Change passwords - If you gave login credentials, change them immediately
  • Freeze your credit - Contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion to prevent identity theft
  • Monitor accounts - Watch for unauthorized transactions for months

📧 Where to Report Scams

Report scams to help protect others:

🛡️ Protecting Yourself

Best practices for avoiding scams:

  • Never send money to strangers - Wire transfers and gift cards are untraceable
  • Never give remote access - Legitimate tech support doesn't cold-call asking for this
  • Use unique passwords - Different password for every account, use a password manager
  • Enable two-factor authentication - Add extra security to all accounts
  • Be skeptical of urgency - Scammers create false deadlines to prevent thinking
  • Trust your instincts - If something feels wrong, it probably is
  • Keep software updated - Security patches protect against known vulnerabilities
  • Use spam filters - Enable built-in email filtering

⚠️ Universal Warning Signs

These are present in almost every scam:

  • Urgency - "Act now!" "Limited time!" "Your account will be closed!"
  • Unusual payment methods - Gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, CashApp
  • Too good to be true - Lottery wins you didn't enter, investment "guarantees"
  • Requests for secrecy - "Don't tell anyone" "This is confidential"
  • Authority impersonation - IRS, FBI, Microsoft, your bank, law enforcement
  • Emotional manipulation - Romance, family emergencies, fear of arrest
  • Generic greetings - "Dear Customer" instead of your actual name
  • Suspicious links/domains - Misspelled company names, URL shorteners, IP addresses

📞 Specific Situations

  • Bank/Credit Card: Call the number on the back of your card, never from an email
  • Government agency: Real agencies send official mail, not email threats
  • Microsoft/Apple/Google: They don't cold-call about viruses or ask for remote access
  • Romance: Never send money to someone you haven't met in person
  • Job offer: Legitimate employers don't ask for money upfront
  • Prize/lottery: If you didn't enter, you didn't win. Never pay to claim a prize
  • Tech support: Hang up on unsolicited calls. Real companies don't do this

🔒 Freezing Your Credit

If you've given personal information to a scammer, freeze your credit at all three bureaus:

Credit freezes are free and prevent anyone from opening new accounts in your name. You can unfreeze temporarily when you need to apply for credit.

📚 Additional Resources

⚠️ Important: This tool provides guidance, not guarantees. Scammers evolve constantly. When in doubt, contact the organization directly using official contact information. This is not financial or legal advice.