What are the Signs of a Scam?

Scammers tell all kinds of stories to try to get your money or information. They might call, pretend to be from a government agency, and say you owe a fine. Or they may pose as a friend or love interest online who supposedly needs money for an emergency. A scammer might offer you a (fake) job, but say you need to pay a fee before you get hired. Or they might tell a different lie.

Though the details might change, scams usually have some things in common. And knowing what they are can help you recognize — and then avoid — scams that come your way.

• Scammers contact you unexpectedly. Don’t respond to unexpected calls, emails, texts, or social media messages that ask for money or personal information. If you’re not sure if a call or message is real, reach out to the business, organization, or person — even if they’re claiming to be a friend or relative — using contact information you looked up yourself and know to be true.
• Scammers tell you to hurry. They don’t want you to have time to think or to check out their story. So slow down. Talk to someone you trust.
• Scammers tell you to pay — and HOW to pay. Don’t pay anyone who contacts you out of the blue and insists you can only pay with cash, a gift card, a wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or a payment app. Scammers want you to pay these ways because once you do, it’s hard to track and hard to get your money back.

If you’ve lost money to a scam, reach out to the company you used to send the money right away and see if there’s a way to get it back. Then report the scammer at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.