Focused Scam Guides
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Crypto Investment Scams on X (Twitter)
How fraudulent crypto investment accounts, fake trading signal groups, and impersonation of finance influencers on X recruit victims into fraudulent platforms — distinct from giveaway scams.
PaymentInvestment Scams Collected via PayPal
How fraudulent investment platforms collect initial deposits through PayPal — exploiting the platform's familiarity while steering victims toward the Friends and Family option that removes all buyer protection.
PaymentMarketplace Seller Scams via Bank Transfer
How fraudulent marketplace sellers steer buyers toward bank transfer — exploiting its apparent formality while removing the chargeback rights that card payment would provide — and the narrow window for bank-level intervention.
PaymentTask Scams That Collect Deposits via Gift Cards
How task scam operators collect 'upgrade deposits' and 'performance bonds' through gift card codes — and why the gift card demand is the clearest possible signal that a job offer is fraudulent.
PaymentRental Listing Scams via PayPal Friends and Family
How fake landlords collect security deposits and first month's rent through PayPal Friends and Family — the one PayPal option with no buyer protection — and why legitimate landlords never use it.
PaymentFake Tech Support Scams That Demand Cryptocurrency
How fake tech support callers escalate from gift card requests to cryptocurrency demands for larger amounts — why crypto represents the highest-loss variant of this fraud, and what the irreversibility means for victims.
PaymentPig-Butchering Scams That Use PayPal Goods and Services
How some pig-butchering operators use PayPal Goods and Services for initial deposits — exploiting the apparent legitimacy of buyer-protected payments — and why the PayPal dispute window is narrow and often unsuccessful for investment fraud.
CountryInvestment Scams in Singapore
How fraudulent investment platforms target Singapore residents with fake MAS-licensed credentials — with ScamShield protection, the MAS Investor Alert List, and SPF reporting routes.
CountryRomance Scams in the Philippines
How romance fraud targets Filipinos through Facebook and dating apps — with GCash and Maya payment mechanics, PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group reporting, and NBI Cybercrime Division as the primary reporting routes.
CountryTask Scams in Canada
How online task fraud targets Canadian workers through WhatsApp and Telegram — with Interac e-Transfer and crypto ATM payment mechanics, and reporting routes through the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
CountryCrypto Scams in the United Kingdom
How cryptocurrency fraud targets UK residents — from clone firm crypto platforms to social media investment pitches — with the FCA ScamSmart checker, Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud), and the 159 hotline.
CountryFake Delivery Texts in India
How smishing texts impersonating India Post, Amazon India, and courier services steal card details and personal data from Indian consumers — with cybercrime.gov.in and the 1930 Cyber Crime Helpline as reporting routes.
CountryBank Impersonation and Safe-Account Scams in Canada
How callers posing as Canadian bank fraud teams and RCMP officers convince victims to move funds to 'safe accounts' — with CAFC reporting, the Canadian banking industry's anti-scam messaging, and what to do after a transfer.
PlatformPig-Butchering Scams on Instagram
How pig-butchering fraudsters use Instagram's follow, DM, and Reels features to build fake romantic trust before pitching a fraudulent crypto trading platform.
PlatformPhishing Scams on Facebook
How fraudsters use fake Facebook pages, Messenger links, and lookalike login prompts to steal account credentials and personal data.
PlatformInvestment Scams on Telegram
How fraudsters exploit Telegram channels, bots, and group chats to promote fake investment schemes and steal funds from victims.
PaymentRomance Scams Paid by Wire Transfer
How romance scammers steer victims toward wire transfers — and why these payments are nearly impossible to recover once sent.
CountryCrypto Scams in India
How cryptocurrency fraud targets Indian investors — from UPI-linked fake exchanges to WhatsApp investment groups — and the reporting routes available.
PlatformPhishing Scams on LinkedIn
How fraudsters use LinkedIn's professional context — fake job offers, connection requests, and InMail — to harvest credentials, deliver malware, and commit financial fraud.
CountryRomance Scams in Nigeria
How romance fraud affects Nigerian victims — from dating-app grooming to blackmail — and the local reporting routes available.
PaymentTask Scams Paid by Cryptocurrency
How task scams — fake app-rating or product-reviewing jobs — use crypto payments to complicate tracing and make fund recovery nearly impossible.
CountryFake Delivery Texts in Canada
How SMS smishing campaigns impersonating Canada Post and major couriers deceive Canadian recipients into handing over card details and personal information.
PaymentInvestment Scams Paid by Venmo
How investment fraudsters exploit Venmo's social feed, instant transfers, and peer-to-peer reputation to collect funds that cannot be charged back.
CountryFake Support Calls in the United Kingdom
How tech-support fraudsters target UK residents by impersonating HMRC, BT, Sky, and major banks — and the Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) reporting process.
PlatformPig-Butchering Scams on Facebook
How pig-butchering investment scams use Facebook groups, friend requests, and Marketplace to build relationships before pitching fraudulent trading platforms.
PaymentRomance Scams Paid by Apple Pay
How romance scammers leverage Apple Pay's speed and familiarity to collect funds from victims before the payment can be questioned or reversed.
CountryCrypto Scams in the Philippines
How crypto fraud targets Filipino residents — from fake play-to-earn schemes to pig-butchering operations — and where to report to the BSP and NBI.
PlatformFake Trading Platforms Promoted on Discord
How fraudulent crypto and forex trading platforms are promoted through Discord servers, bots, and DMs to recruit victims who lose deposited funds.
PaymentWhatsApp Job Scams Paid by Gift Cards
How fake job offers distributed on WhatsApp use gift-card payment requests to extract money from victims who believe they are completing legitimate employment tasks.
CountrySMSF and Superannuation Investment Scams in Australia
How fraudsters specifically target Australian self-managed super fund holders and retirement savers with fake investment schemes and unlicensed advisers.
PaymentRecovery Scams That Demand Wire Transfers
How recovery scammers — posing as fraud investigators or lawyers — use wire transfer requests to defraud people who have already lost money to a previous scam.
CountryFake Delivery Texts in Nigeria
How SMS fraud impersonating DHL, FedEx, and local couriers targets Nigerian phone users with parcel fee demands and credential-harvesting links.
PaymentTech-Support Scams Paid by Western Union
How tech-support fraudsters direct victims to Western Union branches to send cash as payment for fabricated repairs, tax debts, or ransom fees.
PlatformRomance Scams on LinkedIn
How scammers use LinkedIn's professional networking context to build fake romantic relationships that lead to financial fraud.
PlatformCrypto Scams on X (Twitter)
How cryptocurrency fraudsters exploit X's reply threads, impersonation of verified accounts, and paid promotion to lure victims into fake giveaways and fraudulent platforms.
CountryTask Scams in Australia
How fake app-rating and product-review jobs targeting Australian workers via WhatsApp and Telegram use OSKO transfers and crypto to extract money.
PlatformInvestment Scams on YouTube
How fraudulent investment schemes use YouTube ads, livestream impersonation, and fake tutorial channels to recruit victims into fraudulent platforms.
CountryRomance Scams in India
How romance fraud targets Indian users on matrimonial sites, Facebook, and Instagram — from dowry-related advance-fee requests to pig-butchering grooming.
PaymentFake Support Calls That Demand Zelle Payments
How tech-support and bank-impersonation scammers use Zelle's instant, bank-integrated transfers to extract funds that are nearly impossible to recover.
PaymentFake Trading Platforms That Demand Bank Transfers
How fraudulent trading platforms use bank transfers — often to mule accounts — to collect deposits that are then laundered and impossible to trace.
CountryPig-Butchering Scams in Canada
How long-term investment romance fraud targets Canadian residents via WhatsApp and dating apps, and the CAFC and RCMP reporting pathways.
PlatformFake Stores and Seller Scams on Amazon
How fraudulent sellers abuse Amazon's marketplace model to collect payment for goods they never deliver or to sell counterfeit products.
PaymentCrypto Scams Paid by Cash App
How crypto fraudsters exploit Cash App's built-in Bitcoin feature and peer-to-peer transfers to collect non-recoverable payments for fake investments.
CountryInvestment Scams in the Philippines
How investment fraud — from pyramids to fake forex platforms — targets Filipino investors and OFWs, and the SEC Philippines and NBI reporting routes.
PlatformPhishing Scams via Email
How email phishing impersonates banks, retailers, and government agencies to harvest credentials, install malware, and commit financial fraud.
PlatformTask Scams on WhatsApp
How fake app-rating and product-review jobs are distributed through WhatsApp bulk messaging and then steal money from victims via deposit demands.
PaymentRomance Scams Paid by Zelle
How romance scammers request Zelle payments for fabricated emergencies — and why the instant, bank-integrated transfer is nearly impossible to reverse.
PlatformFake Amazon Support Scams
How fraudsters impersonate Amazon customer service to harvest account credentials, trick victims into gift card purchases, or install remote-access software.
PlatformInvestment Scams on Facebook
How fraudulent investment schemes use Facebook ads, groups, and fake celebrity endorsements to recruit victims into platforms that steal their money.
CountryCrypto Scams in the United States
How cryptocurrency fraud targets US residents — from pig-butchering to Bitcoin ATM scams — and the FTC, IC3, and SEC reporting routes.
PlatformFake Support Scams on WhatsApp
How fraudsters impersonate bank support, WhatsApp itself, and tech companies on WhatsApp to steal account credentials and financial information.
CountryPig-Butchering Scams in Australia
How long-term romance investment fraud targets Australians via dating apps and WhatsApp, and the Scamwatch and AFCA reporting pathways.
PlatformPhishing Scams on TikTok
How fraudsters use TikTok's video format, creator impersonation, and DM links to deliver phishing attacks and recruit victims into investment fraud.
PaymentRomance Scams Paid by PayPal
How romance scammers exploit PayPal's Friends and Family feature to collect payments with no buyer protection, and what victims can do.
PlatformFake Delivery Scams on WhatsApp
How fraudulent parcel-delivery notifications arrive via WhatsApp — impersonating couriers to harvest personal details or collect small fraudulent fees.
CountryRecovery Scams in the United States
How fake asset-recovery firms and impersonators targeting US fraud victims extract additional fees — and the FTC reporting process.
PlatformFake Stores and Scams on Etsy
How fraudulent sellers abuse Etsy's handmade marketplace trust to collect payment for items that do not arrive or are misrepresented.
CountryInvestment Scams in Nigeria
How pyramid schemes, fake forex platforms, and ponzi operations target Nigerian investors and savers — and the SEC Nigeria and EFCC reporting routes.
PlatformRomance Scams on TikTok
How romance scammers use TikTok's comment section, DMs, and LIVE feature to build fake relationships that lead to financial fraud.
PlatformPig-Butchering Scams Starting on Tinder
How pig-butchering investment fraud uses Tinder match patterns, fast-burn emotional investment, and off-platform migration to groom victims for fake trading platforms.
CountryFCA Clone Firm Crypto Scams in the United Kingdom
How fraudsters clone FCA-registered firm details to operate fake UK crypto trading platforms — and how to use the FCA register and Warning List to verify.
PlatformFake Tech-Support Numbers Found on Google
How fraudsters place fake customer-service phone numbers in Google search results and paid ads to intercept people seeking genuine support.
PlatformInvestment Scams on Snapchat
How investment fraudsters exploit Snapchat's disappearing messages, Stories, and young user base to promote fake money-flipping and crypto investment schemes.
PlatformRental Scams on Facebook Marketplace
Scammers post fake rental listings on Facebook Marketplace, collecting deposits or first-month rent before disappearing. The platform's open listing system makes it easy to impersonate legitimate landlords.
PlatformPhishing Scams on Instagram
Attackers send DMs and comment-links on Instagram that lead to fake login pages designed to steal account credentials. Stolen accounts are then monetised through follow-for-pay schemes, crypto promotion, or extortion.
PlatformFake Stores on TikTok Shop: Counterfeit and Non-Delivery Scams
Fraudulent sellers on TikTok Shop use viral-style product videos to sell counterfeit or non-existent goods, exploiting the platform's impulse-purchase environment. Victims receive fakes, empty parcels, or nothing at all.
PaymentRomance Scams via Venmo: Peer-to-Peer Payment Fraud
Romance scammers frequently steer victims toward Venmo for money transfers because the social payment app offers no buyer protection and transfers are near-instant. Victims lose funds they cannot reverse.
CountryInvestment Scams in New Zealand
New Zealand residents face a rising tide of investment fraud, including pig-butchering schemes and fake managed funds that impersonate FMA-registered entities. Victims have collectively lost tens of millions of New Zealand dollars.
CountryCrypto Scams in South Africa
South Africa has seen several large-scale crypto fraud schemes, including Ponzi operations that collectively defrauded tens of thousands of South Africans. Scammers exploit currency volatility and limited formal crypto regulation to lure victims.
PlatformFake Job Scams on LinkedIn
Fraudsters create convincing company profiles and recruiter personas on LinkedIn to lure job seekers into paying upfront fees, surrendering personal data, or performing unwitting money-mule tasks.
PaymentTask Scams via Western Union: Pay-to-Work Traps
Task scam operators demand 'activation fees' or 'recharge deposits' be sent via Western Union before victims can access supposed earnings. Because Western Union transfers are near-impossible to reverse once collected, victims lose their money permanently.
CountryFake Delivery Texts in Ireland: An Post and Courier Impersonation
Fraudsters send SMS and WhatsApp messages impersonating An Post and private couriers, directing Irish recipients to pay fake customs or redelivery fees on phishing websites that harvest card details.
PlatformPig-Butchering Scams on Discord: Crypto Investment Grooming
Pig-butchering operators have expanded onto Discord, infiltrating crypto and gaming servers to build trust with users before steering them to fraudulent trading platforms. The platform's pseudonymous culture aids their deception.
PlatformMarketplace Scams on Gumtree: Overpayment and Non-Delivery Fraud
Gumtree attracts a range of marketplace scams, from overpayment cheque fraud targeting sellers to phantom buyers who send fake payment confirmations. Both sellers and buyers face distinct risks on the platform.
CountryRecovery Scams in the United Kingdom
After suffering investment or crypto fraud, UK victims are often re-targeted by 'asset recovery' firms that charge large upfront fees but have no legitimate ability to retrieve lost funds. These firms frequently impersonate the FCA or Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud).
CountryFake Support Calls in India: Bank and KYC Impersonation
Indian consumers are frequently targeted by fraudsters impersonating bank representatives and demanding KYC (Know Your Customer) updates over phone. Victims who comply hand over OTPs and credentials that drain their accounts.
PaymentRomance Scams via Google Pay
Romance scammers in the United States increasingly request money via Google Pay, exploiting its ease of use and lack of a dispute mechanism for peer-to-peer personal transfers. Victims lose funds they cannot retrieve through the platform.
PlatformFake Trading Platforms Promoted on Telegram
Telegram's large group capacity and end-to-end encryption make it a primary channel for promoting fraudulent crypto and forex trading platforms. Signal-provider groups funnel members to fake exchanges that steal deposits.
PlatformPhishing Scams on X/Twitter: Fake Verification and Crypto Drainers
Phishing attacks on X/Twitter target users with fake account verification requests, impersonated customer support accounts, and malicious links disguised as airdrop claims that drain connected crypto wallets.
PlatformFake Customer Support Scams on Reddit
Fraudsters monitor Reddit for posts about banking, crypto exchanges, and tech problems, then respond via DM posing as official support staff. Victims who engage hand over credentials, remote access, or payments.
PaymentInvestment Scams via MoneyGram: Advance-Fee and Profit-Release Traps
Investment scammers instruct victims to send 'regulatory fees,' 'profit tax,' or seed capital via MoneyGram because transfers are nearly impossible to reverse once collected and can be picked up globally with minimal identification.
CountryFake Delivery Texts in New Zealand: NZ Post and Customs Impersonation
New Zealand consumers receive fraudulent SMS messages impersonating NZ Post and NZ Customs demanding small fees to release parcels. The links lead to card-skimming sites that capture full payment details.
CountryPig-Butchering Scams Targeting Nigerians
Nigerian citizens and diaspora members are increasingly targeted by pig-butchering investment fraud originating from Southeast Asian scam compounds, using the promise of overseas income and crypto returns to lure victims.
PlatformFake Stores on Google Shopping: Ad-Driven Counterfeit Sites
Fraudulent retailers pay for Google Shopping placements to appear alongside legitimate products, tricking consumers into ordering from sites that deliver counterfeits, inferior substitutes, or nothing at all.
PaymentCrypto Scams via Apple Pay: Peer Transfer Exploitation
Crypto scammers exploit Apple Pay's frictionless peer-payment feature to collect initial 'seed' deposits from victims on iPhones, blending the familiar banking interface with fraudulent crypto investment schemes.
CountryRomance Scams in Singapore: SPF-Reported Love and Investment Fraud
Singapore's well-educated, high-income population makes it a prime target for romance scams that blend emotional manipulation with investment fraud. The Singapore Police Force (SPF) consistently ranks romance scams among the top fraud categories by financial loss.
PlatformTask Scams on Instagram: Follower Boost and Like-Farm Fraud
Instagram-based task scams recruit victims to like posts, follow accounts, and boost content in exchange for promised earnings, then demand account balances or activation fees that are never repaid.
PaymentMarketplace Scams via PayPal Friends and Family
Fraudulent marketplace sellers pressure buyers into using PayPal Friends and Family — which carries no buyer protection — instead of Goods and Services, leaving victims unable to dispute non-delivery or counterfeit items.
CountryInvestment Scams in Ireland: CBI Warning List and Clone Firm Fraud
Irish consumers are targeted by investment firms that clone the identity of CBI-authorised companies or create convincing new brands. Victims are lured by social media ads and cold calls promising returns that legitimate funds cannot match.
PlatformRomance Scams on Signal: End-to-End Encryption Exploited
Scammers migrate romance fraud onto Signal after initial contact elsewhere, using the app's encryption and disappearing messages to make evidence collection nearly impossible. Investment requests follow.
CountryTask Scams in Nigeria: App-Rating and Recharge Fraud
Task scams targeting Nigerians promise daily income for rating apps, reviewing products, or boosting social media accounts, then demand escalating recharge deposits that are never refunded. Victims lose savings chasing promised withdrawals.
PlatformPig-Butchering Scams via WhatsApp Investment Groups
Scammers add victims to WhatsApp investment groups populated with fake members, then use staged trading tips and group 'wins' to convince targets to invest in fraudulent crypto platforms through the group's recommendation.
CountryAustralia Post Impersonation Parcel Scams
Fraudsters send bulk SMS and email messages impersonating Australia Post, AusPost Express, and private couriers to harvest card details from Australians through fake redelivery and customs-fee pages.
PlatformCrypto Scams on YouTube: Deepfake Livestreams and Fake Channels
Scammers run fake YouTube livestreams and channels using deepfake footage of Elon Musk, Vitalik Buterin, and other figures to promote crypto giveaways and fraudulent platforms. Victims who send crypto to participate lose their funds permanently.
CountryFake Support Calls in Canada: CRA and Bank Impersonation
Canadians are frequently targeted by fraudsters impersonating the Canada Revenue Agency and major Canadian banks, using arrest threats and account-freeze stories to pressure immediate payments via gift cards or Interac e-Transfer.
PlatformPig-Butchering Romance Scams on Facebook: Profile and Messenger Fraud
Facebook's large adult user base and Messenger's familiarity make it a prime channel for pig-butchering operators who build romantic relationships through friend requests and daily Messenger chat before introducing crypto investment fraud.