Scam Questions & Answers
Page 5 of 17.
Is a discount online pharmacy selling branded prescription medication safe to order from?
Only if the pharmacy is licensed by your national medicines regulator. Many discount online pharmacies sell counterfeit, substandard, or incorrectly dosed medication.
Is a cold call offering to help me claim compensation for mis-sold products or services legitimate?
Treat with caution. While genuine claims management companies exist, the cold call format is heavily exploited for fee fraud and data harvesting.
Is a pension pot transfer to a better-performing scheme recommended by a cold caller safe?
No. Unsolicited pension transfer recommendations are one of the most financially devastating scam types. Never transfer a pension based on a cold call.
Is a job offer that requires me to buy a starter kit or materials before I can begin working a scam?
Almost certainly. Legitimate employers provide tools and training at their own cost — requiring workers to purchase starter kits is a defining sign of a scam.
Is an app claiming to show me who viewed my Instagram or TikTok profile safe to use?
No. Instagram and TikTok do not provide this data to third-party apps, so such apps are either harvesting your credentials or selling a fictional service.
Is a charity collection tin placed outside a supermarket or shop entrance legitimate?
Static charity tins in shops are usually genuine, but loose tins or collectors holding them outside can be fraudulent — always check for official permission.
Is a job where I am paid to test apps and rate them and receive payment by wire transfer legitimate?
Be very cautious. Most paid app review jobs found through unsolicited messages are task scams or money-mule operations.
Is a free antivirus tool offered in a website pop-up safe to install?
No. Pop-up antivirus offers are among the most common methods of distributing malware and adware under the guise of protection software.
Is a lottery syndicate invitation from a workplace colleague or online group a scam?
Genuine workplace syndicates exist, but online or social media syndicate invitations are often advance fee fraud.
Is a job offer in another country that requires me to travel at my own expense before a contract is signed a scam?
Very likely. Legitimate overseas employers sponsoring foreign workers cover travel costs or sign a contract before any travel is undertaken.
Is a cryptocurrency mixing or tumbling service legal to use?
In many jurisdictions cryptocurrency mixing is illegal or severely restricted because it is primarily used to obscure the origin of criminally obtained funds.
Is a text message from a delivery company asking me to pay a small redelivery fee a scam?
Very likely. Delivery fee texts are one of the most widely distributed phishing formats — the small amount makes victims less suspicious.
Is a hotel booking on a third-party website that is significantly cheaper than the official hotel rate a scam?
It could be. Fake hotel booking sites take payment and either provide no booking confirmation or generate a reservation that the hotel never received.
Is an online auction where each bid costs money to place legitimate?
These are known as penny auctions. They are legal in some jurisdictions but are designed so that most bidders lose money — and some are outright fraudulent.
Is an investment opportunity shared in a private Facebook group by members I do not know safe?
No. Private Facebook groups are a common distribution channel for investment fraud because the closed nature creates false credibility.
Is it safe to share my credit card number for a free trial that says there is no charge today?
Proceed with caution. Many free trials that require a card automatically charge you after a short period, and some sites use the card details for unauthorised charges immediately.
Is a message from a friend saying they are in trouble abroad and need money urgently a scam?
Possibly. Account compromise and clone account scams use your friend's identity to send convincing emergency messages to their contact list.
Is a grant for starting a small business offered by email or social media real?
Legitimate small business grants exist, but they are applied for — they do not arrive unsolicited by email or DM. Unsolicited grant messages are almost always fee fraud.
Is a gaming skin marketplace that requires me to log in with my Steam account safe?
Only if the site uses Steam's official OAuth login. Many fake skin trading sites steal your Steam credentials via a convincing fake login page.
Is an email from my solicitor asking me to change the bank account details for a house purchase payment safe?
Do not act on it without calling your solicitor directly first. Conveyancing fraud is a major risk — scammers intercept emails and impersonate solicitors to divert completion funds.
Is a service offering to recover my blocked or banned social media account legitimate?
Almost always no. Account recovery services for social media are typically scams that take payment without delivering results or steal your remaining account credentials.
Is a crypto trading coach who shows screenshots of large profits on social media legitimate?
Almost certainly not. Profit screenshots are trivially easy to fabricate or cherry-pick, and 'coaching' accounts primarily serve as funnels for investment platform fraud.
Is a call from my energy supplier offering a free smart meter upgrade legitimate?
Smart meter rollouts are genuine government-backed programmes, but scammers impersonate energy companies in this context to gain access to homes or collect bank details.
Is a notification that my online banking password was recently changed something I should worry about?
If you did not change it, treat this as an urgent security incident — someone may have accessed your account and changed the credentials.
Is a Craigslist or classifieds buyer who wants to pay by cashier's check and arrange their own shipping a scammer?
Almost certainly yes. This is one of the oldest and most consistent classifieds fraud patterns.
Is a cold email offering to manage my Amazon or eBay store and generate passive income a scam?
Almost always yes. Ecommerce automation services that promise passive income from managed stores are a well-documented investment fraud format.
Is a council or government grant for home improvements offered by a cold caller legitimate?
Treat with caution. Government energy efficiency and home improvement grants exist, but the cold call format is heavily exploited by rogue traders and advance fee fraudsters.
Is it safe to log in to my bank on public WiFi?
It carries more risk than a secure private connection, but is generally safe if you connect to the bank's official app or HTTPS website — the main danger is connecting to a fake hotspot.
Is a person who claims to be a US soldier, doctor, or engineer stationed abroad on a dating site likely a scammer?
This exact profile — overseas military or professional who cannot video call freely — is one of the most consistent romance scam personas.
Is a loan shark charging very high interest rates illegal and what should I do if I am being threatened?
Illegal lending is a criminal offence in most countries. You have the right to protection and support, and your debt to a loan shark is not legally enforceable.
Is an invoice sent to my business email for services I do not recognise a scam?
Very likely. Unsolicited invoices — sometimes called invoice fraud or billing scams — are sent hoping a busy accounts team will pay without checking.
Is an email claiming I have won an international lottery I did not enter real?
No. You cannot win a lottery you did not enter. This is one of the longest-running advance fee fraud formats.
Is a discount voucher for a supermarket or well-known brand shared on Facebook real?
Rarely. Brand impersonation voucher posts are widely used to harvest personal data, spread malware, or grow fake pages.
Is a credit repair service that guarantees to fix my credit score legitimate?
No legitimate credit repair service can guarantee to improve your score. Services that make this promise are often scams that charge fees for work you can do yourself for free.
Is a utility company contacting me about an unclaimed rebate or overpayment a scam?
Often yes. Unsolicited rebate contacts are frequently used to harvest bank details or trick you into paying a small fee to receive a fictional refund.
Is a cryptocurrency investment adviser who connected with me on LinkedIn legitimate?
Be very sceptical. LinkedIn is increasingly used to run professional-looking romance scams and investment fraud targeting high-earning professionals.
Is a call saying my computer has been used for illegal activity and my accounts will be frozen a scam?
Yes. This is a variant of government impersonation and tech-support fraud. No legitimate authority contacts citizens this way.
Is a stranger who claims to have found cash and wants to share it with me running a scam?
Yes. This is a classic street-based confidence fraud known as the pigeon drop or found money scam.
Is a rental car company that only accepts cash payment a scam?
Treat with serious caution. Cash-only car rental is highly unusual for legitimate operators and removes all your payment protection and fraud recourse.
Is an AI chatbot offering financial or investment advice giving me reliable guidance?
No. AI chatbots are not regulated financial advisers and should never be relied upon for specific investment or financial decisions — doing so could cause serious harm.
Is a seller on Depop or Vinted who asks me to communicate and pay outside the app a scammer?
Very likely. Requests to move off-platform remove all buyer and seller protections that the app provides.
Is a Bitcoin ATM a safe way to send money to someone I trust?
No. Bitcoin ATMs are a leading cash collection tool for scammers. Once money is inserted, it cannot be recovered.
Is a cold email from a PR firm asking me to review products for money a scam?
Treat it carefully. Legitimate product seeding exists, but cold email review-for-cash offers frequently lead to advance-fee or data harvesting scams.
Is it safe to share a screenshot of a payment to prove it was sent?
Only share with the recipient. Screenshots of payments can be edited to show false amounts or statuses, and some contain financial data.
Is a seller on Craigslist or a classifieds site who insists on local cash-only safe?
Cash-in-person is actually safer for high-value items — but be alert to robbery setups and counterfeit currency risks.
Is being added to a WhatsApp group by strangers for investment tips a scam?
Yes. Being added without your consent to a WhatsApp investment group is the setup for a classic group investment fraud.
Is a peer-to-peer payment request from a stranger a scam?
Yes. Unsolicited payment requests from people you don't know on Cash App, Venmo, or PayPal are either direct fraud attempts or money mule setups.
Is a course certificate I bought online recognised by employers?
Often not. Many online certificate sellers have no accreditation and their qualifications carry no weight with employers or licensing bodies.
Is a message saying my Facebook or Instagram account will be disabled a scam?
Almost certainly yes. Account-disabling threats sent by message are phishing attacks designed to steal your social media credentials.
Is a prize notification sent by official-looking letter in the mail real?
No. Printed prize letters that say you have won a car, cash, or holiday are scams that require a fee to claim the non-existent prize.
Is a job ad that shows a known company logo always genuine?
No. Scammers routinely copy company branding to make fake job listings look legitimate.
Is a buy-one-get-one-free online offer requiring my card details safe?
Not unless it comes from a verified, well-known retailer. Free offers requiring card entry are frequent subscription traps or data theft operations.
Is a Telegram channel claiming to sell stolen data or hacking services legitimate?
These channels are almost always scams. They take payment for services they cannot deliver, or the 'service' itself is illegal.
Is a dating app profile that moves very fast emotionally a scammer?
It is a major warning sign. Rapid emotional bonding — 'love bombing' — is a deliberate technique used in romance scams.
Is a university bursary or grant email I didn't apply for real?
No. Unsolicited bursary or grant emails targeting students are phishing attacks or advance-fee scams.
Is a debt collector who can't provide written proof of debt legitimate?
No. Legitimate debt collectors must provide written validation of any debt on request — if they refuse, it is likely a scam.
Is an online ticket seller asking for payment by friends and family a scam?
Yes. Requesting friends-and-family payment for tickets removes all buyer protection and is a classic scam signal.
Is a bank text asking me to approve a new payee a scam?
It could be. Scammers send fake bank texts to trick you into approving a payee they control — your bank will never rush this decision.
Is a job that asks me to rate hotels or restaurants online a scam?
Yes. Paid review jobs are a common cover for task scams that eventually demand you deposit money to unlock earnings.
Is a Facebook Marketplace car seller asking for a holding deposit a scam?
Frequently yes. Fake car listings on social marketplaces are designed to extract a deposit before you ever see the vehicle.
Is it safe to buy concert tickets from a resale platform?
It depends on the platform. Authorised fan-to-fan resale sites offer buyer guarantees; unofficial sites and social media resellers frequently deliver invalid or non-existent tickets.
Is a cold call offering to write or update my will for free a scam?
Yes. Free will-writing cold calls are lead-generation tools designed to upsell expensive and sometimes unnecessary legal or financial products to older adults.
Is a subscription box that charged me after a free trial a scam?
It may be a dark pattern. Some subscription boxes make billing terms clear; others bury auto-renewal in hard-to-find small print.
Is an investment seminar promising guaranteed real estate returns a scam?
Yes in the vast majority of cases. Real estate seminars promising guaranteed returns or 'insider' methods charge large fees for generic or worthless information.
Is an email saying I owe tax and must pay immediately to avoid prosecution real?
No. Tax authorities send formal written notices by post and do not threaten immediate prosecution in an email with a payment link.
Is a landlord who doesn't have a gas safety certificate running a scam?
Not necessarily a scam, but it is a serious legal violation — and in rental fraud, missing documentation is also used to pressure tenants into substandard arrangements.
Is a utility bill in my name opened without my knowledge a sign of fraud?
Yes. An unexpected utility bill in your name is a strong indicator that your identity has been used to open accounts fraudulently.
Is a crypto exchange with a very professional-looking website trustworthy?
Not necessarily. Professional website design is cheap and easy — it does not verify regulatory compliance or the safety of your funds.
Is a free government solar panel scheme cold call legitimate?
Usually not. Cold calls about free solar panels through a government scheme are frequently sales calls or scams harvesting your personal data and a deposit.
Is a caller from a tech company offering to refund an overcharge a scam?
Yes. Refund scams impersonate tech companies to trick you into giving remote access and then steal money from your bank account.
Is a rental listing that wants a holding fee via Western Union a scam?
Yes, without exception. Western Union is irreversible and untraceable — requesting it for a rental deposit is a guaranteed red flag.
Can AI generate phishing emails that are indistinguishable from real ones?
Yes. AI-written phishing emails have no spelling errors, mimic writing styles accurately, and are increasingly hard to distinguish from genuine messages.
Is a Cash App or Venmo request from my landlord safe?
It depends. Scammers impersonate landlords to intercept rent payments — always verify any change in payment instructions directly.
Is an unsolicited email offering business loan approval a scam?
Yes in most cases. Pre-approved business loan emails sent out of the blue are almost always advance-fee or credential phishing scams.
Is a text claiming I have an unpaid parking fine real?
Likely not. Official parking fines arrive by post to the registered keeper — not by text with a payment link.
Is a VoIP call from an overseas number pretending to be a local bank a scam?
Yes. Scammers use cheap internet calling services to impersonate banks from anywhere in the world.
Is a text from a parcel company asking me to pay a storage fee a scam?
Almost certainly yes. Legitimate couriers do not hold parcels for storage fees payable by text link.
Is a door-to-door roofer or driveway paver offering cheap work a scam?
Very often. Doorstep roofers and pavers who say they have leftover materials and offer a large discount are frequently running cowboy trader scams.
Is a romance partner who never asks me for money definitely genuine?
Not necessarily. Some romance scammers operate over months without any financial request, building trust before a large single ask or a more elaborate scheme.
Is an App Store or Google Play listing for a cryptocurrency wallet always genuine?
No. Fake crypto wallet apps make it through both platforms' review processes and steal funds from users who install them.
Is a call saying my computer is sending error reports to Microsoft a scam?
Yes. This is the classic Microsoft tech support scam. Microsoft does not monitor individual computers and will never call you about errors.
Is an online loan that approves everyone regardless of credit score legitimate?
No. Guaranteed-approval loan advertisements are advance-fee scams that collect upfront fees and never release funds.
Can a QR code redirect me to a site that steals my login?
Yes. QR codes can link to any URL — including fake login pages designed to steal your credentials.
Is a new LinkedIn contact who wants to discuss investment opportunities a scammer?
Treat it as suspicious. LinkedIn is heavily targeted by investment and romance-investment scammers who use professional profiles to build credibility.
Is a request to pay an invoice by cryptocurrency instead of bank transfer a scam?
In a business context, a sudden switch to crypto payment is a major red flag and often indicates fraud.
Is an online insurance quote that asks for full payment before sending any documents safe?
No. Legitimate insurers provide a full policy schedule and certificate before or immediately after payment — any that refuse are likely ghost brokers.
Is a limited-time flash sale from an unfamiliar website safe?
Treat it as suspicious. Flash sale urgency is a common tactic used by fake online stores to rush you into payment before you can verify the site.
Is a fake invoice sent to a senior parent by mail a scam?
Yes. Fraudulent invoices sent by post are common scams targeting older adults, using official-looking formats to demand payment for services never ordered.
Is a text saying my driving licence renewal fee is due real?
Almost certainly not. Official driving licence renewal notices arrive by post and direct you to the official government website — not a payment link in a text.
Is a work-from-home packing or envelope stuffing job legitimate?
No. Envelope stuffing and parcel packing jobs are classic advance-fee or reshipping scams — there is no legitimate version.
Is a social media account offering cheap designer goods a scam?
Almost always. Accounts selling luxury brands at a fraction of retail price are selling fakes, or will take your money and send nothing.
Is an email with my home address threatening to expose me a scam?
Yes. This is a sextortion or extortion scam. The threat is a bluff designed to create panic.
Is a landlord who won't provide a written tenancy agreement a red flag?
Yes. A legitimate landlord will always provide a written tenancy agreement before you pay or move in.
Is a cryptocurrency platform that shows growing profits but won't pay out a scam?
Yes. A platform that shows impressive balance growth but blocks withdrawals is a classic investment fraud.
Can a scammer open a credit card in my name with stolen personal data?
Yes. With enough personal data, criminals can apply for credit cards, loans, and other financial products in your name.
Is a text saying a family member has been in an accident and needs money a scam?
Almost always yes. This is a variant of the grandparent or family emergency scam, now increasingly delivered by text or WhatsApp.
Is a delivery driver asking for a cash payment on the doorstep a scam?
Treat it with caution. Doorstep cash payment requests can be legitimate customs charges but are also used in delivery scams and distraction burglaries.
Is an airdrop that asks me to connect my wallet to claim free tokens safe?
No. Connect-to-claim airdrop sites are a common wallet drainer attack that empties your crypto holdings in seconds.
Is a car listing where the seller is abroad and uses an escrow service a scam?
Yes. Sellers claiming to be abroad who offer a special escrow service for vehicle payment are running a well-known car scam.
Are immigrant workers at extra risk from job or housing scams?
Yes. Scammers deliberately target newly arrived workers with fake job offers and overpriced or non-existent accommodation.