Field guide
The scams people paste most
Each guide shows the real message, the exact phrases that give it away, and what to do about it. Got one in front of you right now? Paste it - it takes ten seconds.
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Text message2 min read
Is this USPS "package on hold" text a scam?
Almost always yes. How the parcel-fee text works, the three tells in every version, and what to do with a real delivery problem.
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Email2 min read
"Your Netflix account has been suspended" - real or phishing?
How to read the sender address, why the 24-hour deadline is the giveaway, and the one safe way to check your billing.
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Job offer2 min read
Remote job offer with an interview on Telegram: the signs it's a scam
"$45/hour, no experience, interview by chat" - how the fake-job scam takes your money through a check or an equipment purchase, and how to verify a real recruiter.
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Crypto & investing2 min read
"My uncle works at an exchange": the crypto investment DM, explained
The long-con romance/investment scam ("pig butchering"): how the friendly stranger, the guaranteed returns and the fake trading platform fit together.
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2 min read
Selling online: the "I'll pay extra, send the difference to my courier" scam
How buyers on Facebook Marketplace, OLX and eBay use fake payments, overpayments and shipping-agent stories to take both the item and your money.
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Website2 min read
Is this website legit? A 3-minute check before you buy or sign up
Domain age, HTTPS, contact details, reviews, and the copy-paste tricks fake shops and fake login pages use. What to look at and in which order.
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Text message3 min read
Is this fraud alert text from my bank real?
The "Did you make this payment? Reply Y or N" text, the phone call that follows it, and the one rule that makes you un-scammable.
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Chat / DM2 min read
"Hi Mum, I've lost my phone" - the WhatsApp family scam explained
How the new-number message turns into an urgent bill, how to check it's really your child in ten seconds, and what to do if you already paid.
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Email2 min read
Fake PayPal invoice or money request: "You sent $499.99 to Norton"
Why the email really comes from PayPal, why it's still a scam, and why you must never call the number on it.
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Chat / DM2 min read
"Hey, is this Sarah?" - why a wrong-number text is the start of a scam
The friendly stranger who texted the wrong number by accident is not a stranger and it wasn't an accident. Where the conversation goes and how to end it.
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Website2 min read
"Your computer is infected, call Microsoft" pop-up - what it really is
The full-screen virus warning with a phone number, why it can't detect anything, how to close it, and what happens if you call.
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Email2 min read
"Your Amazon order for $1,299 has shipped" - the order you didn't place
The fake receipt that wants you to call and cancel, how to tell it from a real Amazon email, and the safe way to check your orders.
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Text message2 min read
"Unpaid toll" text from E-ZPass, FasTrak or SunPass - real or scam?
The toll-fee text that hit millions of phones, the two things that make it obviously fake, and what to do if you actually have a toll to pay.
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Job offer2 min read
"Earn $300 a day liking videos" - the task scam explained
The part-time job that pays for small tasks, why it pays you at first, and the moment it turns into you paying them.
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Email2 min read
"I have recorded you" - the Bitcoin extortion email that knows your password
Why the email contains a real old password, why there is no video, and why you should not pay or reply.
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2 min read
Apartment for rent, landlord abroad, deposit before viewing - the rental scam
How fake rental listings work, the four questions that expose them, and how to pay a deposit safely when the flat is real.
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Crypto & investing2 min read
"We can recover your lost crypto" - the recovery scam that targets scam victims
Why the people offering to get your money back are usually the same people who took it, what real recovery looks like, and where to actually report a loss.
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Website2 min read
Is this online shop legit? 70% off, ships from nowhere, pays by bank transfer
How to check an unfamiliar web shop in two minutes before you type your card number - domain age, payment methods, and the copy-paste tells.
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