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Be cautious. Your friend may genuinely believe in it, or may themselves be a victim trying to recoup losses, or — rarely — may be an unwitting recruiter for a fraud ring.
Yes. A photo of your ID can be used for identity theft, fraudulent account openings, loan applications, and SIM-swap attacks.
It may not be an outright scam, but deliberately difficult cancellation is deceptive practice — and in some jurisdictions, illegal under consumer protection law.
Often yes, especially in the US. Medicare and health insurance fraud involving unsolicited calls offering free or discounted equipment is widespread.
Only if you have verified the landlord's identity and physically viewed the property. Paying a deposit on an unverified rental is a major scam risk.
Yes. Caller ID spoofing allows anyone to display any number, including official government helpline numbers.
It may not be. Fake Amazon account-suspension texts are a common phishing attack designed to steal your login and payment credentials.
Having your email alone gives scammers limited but real power — including phishing, credential stuffing, and spam — though not direct account access.
High risk. Trading valuable in-game items outside official platforms removes all buyer protections and is a common route to theft and fraud.
Treat with caution. Many payday loan ads on social media lead to unlicensed lenders, clone firms, or fee-upfront loan scams.
Yes. Granting remote access to a scammer is one of the most direct routes to bank account takeover and large financial losses.
Almost certainly not. Steep discount ads for luxury brands on social media almost always lead to fake goods, no delivery, or card theft.
In most jurisdictions, binary options trading platforms targeting retail customers are either banned or heavily restricted, and many are outright scams.
No. Crypto giveaways broadcast on TikTok Live or any other platform, whether hosted by a real or impersonated account, are invariably scams.
In rare cases yes — through zero-click exploits targeting unpatched OS vulnerabilities — but the far more common risk is phishing links within texts.
Often yes. Vehicles listed well below market value by sellers who insist on deposit or full payment before viewing are a classic advance-payment fraud.
Treat with scepticism. Many Instagram weight-loss ads promote unproven products, misleading before-and-after images, or free-trial subscription traps.
Yes. Card-not-present fraud allows criminals to use your card number, expiry date, and CVV to make online purchases without ever holding the physical card.
Almost certainly yes. Transport fee requests for pets you have not seen in person are a signature element of online pet fraud.
Almost never. These are mass-sent sextortion scripts designed to exploit fear — the sender almost certainly does not have your browsing history or webcam footage.
Not always, but doorstep energy sales are a common route for high-pressure selling, slamming (switching without consent), and outright fraud.
Not if the bank account details have changed. Invoice fraud and payment diversion scams intercept supplier communications to redirect funds.
Probably not. Fake customs-fee texts are a widely used phishing method that impersonates national postal services or border agencies.
Contactless card skimming is technically possible but rare in practice. The more common fraud risks involve tampered ATMs and point-of-sale terminals.
Yes. Salary paid before any work is completed is a hallmark of money-mule recruitment and cheque fraud — not a genuine employment benefit.
Almost never. Unsolicited holiday or cruise prize notifications are a classic advance-fee and timeshare-sales scam.
It may be, but impersonation of mobile carriers is common. Verify through your provider's official app or website before clicking any link.
Government insulation and solar grant schemes are real, but cold calls or door-knockers offering them are frequently used to set up fraud or high-pressure selling.
Very likely yes. Strangers on Instagram who befriend you then introduce cryptocurrency investments are running a well-documented romance or investment fraud.
Yes. PayPal Friends and Family offers no buyer protection, making it a favoured tool for fraudulent sellers who want to prevent chargebacks.
No investment can legally offer guaranteed returns. Free investment seminars are often high-pressure sales events for dubious or unlicensed products.
Yes. Photo theft and profile cloning are used to defraud your contacts, conduct romance scams using your identity, or harass you.
Most are not. Paid forex signal groups are frequently either entirely fraudulent, wildly inaccurate, or a funnel into a regulated or unregulated brokerage that pays the operator a commission on your losses.
Many are. Legitimate paid review opportunities exist, but schemes requiring upfront fees, purchases, or personal financial details are scams.
Probably not. Apple ID lock texts are a widespread phishing tactic designed to steal your Apple credentials and personal information.
Yes. Even trusted marketplaces have fraud risks, particularly off-platform payment requests, fake escrow, and SNAD (significantly not as described) fraud.
Very likely. NFT projects marketed with passive income promises, staking rewards, or guaranteed price appreciation are almost uniformly a rug pull or Ponzi structure.
Small advance booking fees from verified tutors are common practice; large deposits to an unverified contact found via social media are a significant risk.
Yes, in some cases. Routing and account numbers can be used to initiate ACH transfers or set up fraudulent direct debits if other verification steps are bypassed.
It may be. Medical bill collection scams impersonate hospitals and debt collectors to pressure patients into paying fabricated or inflated debts.
It could be — fraudsters send fake bank alerts to trick you into calling a spoofed number or clicking a phishing link. Always verify through your bank's official app or card-back number.
Possibly — many banks now reimburse authorised push-payment fraud, but you must report it quickly. Refund rules and amounts vary by bank and jurisdiction.
Treat any unexpected NFC tag or link that launches a payment app with extreme caution — scammers plant these to redirect payments to their own accounts.
Asking for a cash deposit — especially into a random bank account — is a major warning sign. Legitimate sellers on established platforms use the platform's payment system.
Unsolicited payday loan texts are almost always either phishing attempts or lead-generator fraud. Never click the link or call the number provided.
These texts are almost always phishing scams. Genuine couriers rarely charge a small fee by SMS link for redelivery, and the link leads to a fake payment page.
No. Genuine immigration authorities do not call to demand immediate payment or threaten same-day arrest. This is a government impersonation scam.
It may be genuine, but fake debt letters are also used to extort payment. Always verify directly with the council before paying, not by contacting the bailiff listed.
Government benefits agencies almost never contact you about overpayments by SMS with a payment link. Verify any overpayment claim directly through official channels.
Unsolicited tax refund emails are almost always phishing. Real tax agencies communicate through official post or verified online portals, not by asking you to click a link to claim a refund.
Most 'Google account suspended' emails are phishing. Google communicates through your account's official security centre, not by asking you to click an external link to re-verify.
Yes. Microsoft does not charge for Windows operating system upgrades through browser pop-ups or unexpected calls. Pop-ups asking for payment are scams.
Domain expiry scam emails try to trick website owners into transferring their domain to a new, often expensive registrar. Always renew through your current registrar directly.
An unsolicited password reset email usually means someone is trying to take over your account or test whether it exists. Do not click the reset link — just ignore it or secure your account.
If the 'tech support' contacted you — by pop-up, cold call, or email — the request for remote access is almost certainly a scam. Legitimate support only uses remote tools when you have initiated the contact.
Almost certainly yes. Requesting money for travel to meet you is one of the most common romance scam scripts, regardless of how real and genuine the relationship has seemed.
A stranger who follows you, builds rapport, and then mentions a lucrative investment opportunity is almost certainly running a romance or pig-butchering investment scam.
Yes. Scammers who receive intimate or personal photos often use them to threaten you with exposure (sextortion) unless you pay money. Stop contact and do not pay.
Almost certainly yes. Military romance scams are extremely common — scammers use stolen photos of soldiers and claim deployment prevents them from meeting until they receive financial help.
It is a major red flag. Scammers want to move off dating platforms quickly to avoid being reported and to use a channel with fewer scam-detection tools.
Yes. Paid task or app-review jobs requiring daily quotas and deposits to 'unlock' higher earnings are task scams — there is no legitimate employment at the end.
Any job offer that requires you to pay a training, registration, or onboarding fee upfront is almost certainly a scam. Legitimate employers pay you, not the other way around.
Unsolicited influencer management or 'brand ambassador' offers frequently lead to task scams, upfront-fee fraud, or money-mule recruitment. Research any company carefully before agreeing.
If a bookkeeping job requires you to receive money into your personal account and forward it on, you are being recruited as a money mule — which is a criminal offence even if you did not know the funds were stolen.
Yes. Legitimate grant-writing employment or freelance contracts never require the worker to pay a finder's fee to secure the role.
Accepting only bank transfer is a major risk factor for rental scams. Legitimate holiday rentals on established platforms use platform-managed payments with built-in protection.
Selling a vehicle with a duplicate, salvage, or unclear title is a serious legal and financial risk for buyers — it may mean the car is stolen, financed, or legally undriveable.
Facebook Marketplace has no rental protection mechanisms, making it a common venue for fake apartment listings. Always verify the landlord's ownership before paying anything.
Asking for unusually large upfront payments — particularly from people with poor credit or who cannot view the property first — is a common rental scam tactic.
Paying before receiving any item from a private seller carries real risk. Use platforms with buyer protection and avoid bank transfers to strangers for high-value items.
Platforms promising fixed daily crypto returns are almost always Ponzi schemes or exit-scam platforms. Genuine staking returns are variable and far lower.
Always. No genuine government agency, court, utility company, or law enforcement body requests payment through a Bitcoin ATM. This is a signature scam tactic.
Yes. Legitimate investment platforms allow you to withdraw your funds subject to standard terms. A platform that blocks all withdrawals or demands fees to release money is fraudulent.
No. Celebrity crypto giveaway livestreams on YouTube are always scams using deepfake or cloned video footage. The celebrity has not endorsed anything.
Yes. Malicious 'connect wallet' buttons can prompt you to approve a transaction that grants the scammer unlimited access to your tokens.
Many are genuine, but fake campaigns exploiting disasters appear within hours of major events. Verify the campaign's connection to a real victim and prefer established organisations.
Genuine smart meter schemes exist in many countries, but cold callers asking for access to your home or upfront payment are often scammers impersonating energy companies.
No. Genuine prize draws do not require your credit card details to claim a win. A request for card information is a subscription trap or outright theft.
No. Any scratch card 'prize' requiring further purchases before you can claim is a scam. Legitimate prize redemption never requires buying additional products.
Legitimate charities do use telephone fundraising, but cold calls requesting direct debit details are also used by fraudulent organisations. Always verify before donating.
Yes. Current AI voice-synthesis tools can create a convincing clone of your voice from a few seconds of audio, which scammers use to call family members and request emergency money.
This is an emerging, high-impact scam. Deepfake video calls impersonating executives have been used to authorise large fraudulent bank transfers. Always verify payment requests through a separate, confirmed channel.
Usually yes, but fraudsters sometimes place fake QR stickers over legitimate menu codes. Check that the sticker looks original and verify the URL before entering any personal details.
QR codes in unsolicited emails from financial institutions are a growing phishing technique. Banks and payroll providers rarely need you to scan a QR code by email — verify first.
Public Wi-Fi QR codes can be cloned or faked by attackers to intercept your traffic. Verify with staff and use a VPN on any public network.
Some charges are legitimate subscription terms that were disclosed in small print. Others are subscription traps with deliberately hidden terms. Learn how to tell the difference and how to cancel.
Grandparent scams are extremely common. A caller pretends to be a grandchild (or their lawyer) in an emergency and asks for money urgently before the family finds out.
Unsolicited student loan forgiveness offers are almost always scams. Genuine forgiveness programmes are administered through official government portals — never by cold call.
Almost certainly. Legitimate employers sponsoring a work visa bear the sponsorship costs themselves. Any employer asking you to pay a fee to be sponsored is exploiting your immigration aspirations.
Yes. International students — often searching for housing remotely from abroad before arriving — are prime targets for fake rental listings and advance-fee property fraud.
No. Free V-Bucks, Robux, gems, or other game-currency generators are always scams designed to steal your account credentials, personal data, or money.
Almost certainly yes. Overly generous Steam trade offers are used to trick you into accepting deals that steal your valuable items through API hijacking or social engineering.
Account boosting services are against the terms of service of most games and carry real risks: your account may be banned, and services offering boosts often steal accounts.
Most influencer skin giveaways are genuine promotional activities, but fake giveaways impersonating popular streamers are common and designed to steal your account or personal data.
Almost certainly. Romance scams frequently begin inside online games, where players build emotional connections before requesting real-world money or gift cards.
Some comparison sites are legitimate intermediaries, but fake insurance websites sell ghost policies that leave you uninsured. Always verify the insurer is authorised before paying.
Offers of health coverage with no waiting periods and prices far below the market should be verified carefully — they may be fake policies or heavily restricted plans that do not provide real coverage.
After a SIM swap, scammers intercept your SMS codes and access accounts that use your phone number for two-factor authentication. Act immediately to regain control.
Genuine upgrade notifications do come from carriers, but smishing texts mimicking carrier brands are also common — designed to steal your details or redirect you to a fake upgrade site.
Yes. Scammers spoof your own number to try to confuse you or trick you into answering. Never trust any caller simply because the display matches your own number.