SCAM LIBRARY
Know the common scams
56 plain-language explainers — how each one works, what it can look like, the red flags, and what to do. Patterns documented by the FTC and FBI IC3; ScamVet never asks for your identity.
56 scams
The gift-card demand
Someone insists you pay a bill, fine, or fee with gift cards. It's always a scam.
Read →Impersonation
The 'family in trouble' call
A panicked message claims a grandchild or relative is in jail or stranded and needs money now.
Read →Deliveries
The delivery-fee text
A text says your package is held and needs a small fee or address confirmation via a link.
Read →Phishing & links
The 'verify your account' email
A message warns your account is locked and tells you to click a link to verify.
Read →Relationships
The romance / 'pig-butchering' scam
A scammer builds a fake romantic relationship with you over weeks or months, then asks you to invest money or move funds into accounts they control.
Read →Money & paymentThe fake investment platform
Scammers pose as a legitimate investment company and pressure you to send money into a fake platform that promises unusually high returns.
Read →ImpersonationThe fake tech-support pop-up
A fake pop-up or phone call pretends to be tech support, claiming your device has a problem, and pressures you to call a number or click a link so they can 'help.'
Read →ImpersonationThe tax-agency threat
Scammers pretend to be tax authorities and demand immediate payment, creating false urgency to catch you off guard.
Read →Money & paymentThe 'you've won' prize scam
You're told you've won a prize or lottery you never entered, and to claim it you must pay a fee or provide personal details.
Read →Money & paymentThe too-good job offer
A scammer poses as a recruiter or employer offering an unusually easy, high-paying job with minimal qualifications—the catch is they want money upfront or access to your bank details.
Read →Money & paymentThe mystery-shopper scam
A scammer poses as a company hiring people to evaluate stores or services, then pressures you to send your own money upfront or via wire transfer, promising quick repayment.
Read →ImpersonationThe fake debt collector
A scammer pretends to be a debt collector and pressures you to pay money quickly, claiming you owe a debt.
Read →ImpersonationThe utility-shutoff threat
Someone calls claiming your utility service will be shut off unless you pay immediately—but it's not your real utility company.
Read →ImpersonationThe fake bank fraud alert
A scammer pretends to be your bank and creates fake urgency by claiming suspicious activity on your account, trying to trick you into revealing passwords or sending money.
Read →ImpersonationThe Social Security 'suspended' call
Scammers impersonate Social Security officials and claim your account is suspended or compromised, demanding immediate action to avoid legal trouble.
Read →ImpersonationThe Medicare / health-plan scam
Scammers impersonate Medicare or health-plan representatives to trick you into sharing personal information or money.
Read →Money & paymentThe fake charity appeal
Scammers pose as charitable organizations to collect donations that go into their own pockets instead of helping people in need.
Read →Buying & selling
The fake rental listing
A scammer poses as a landlord or property manager and tricks you into paying for a rental that doesn't actually belong to them or doesn't exist.
Read →Buying & sellingThe puppy / pet-purchase scam
Scammers pose as pet sellers online, take your money for a puppy or pet, and never deliver—or send a sick animal.
Read →Buying & sellingThe marketplace overpayment
A scammer buys something from you online, sends more money than agreed, then asks you to refund the difference—but the payment never actually clears.
Read →Phishing & linksThe malicious QR code ('quishing')
A scammer sends you a QR code (often by text, email, or posted in public) that looks legitimate but secretly directs you to a fake website designed to steal your login details or payment information.
Read →Threats & blackmail
The sextortion / blackmail email
You receive a threatening email claiming to have compromising information about you and demanding money to keep it quiet.
Read →Phishing & linksThe fake subscription-renewal invoice
Scammers send fake invoices or bills that look like renewal notices from services you use, hoping you'll pay without checking.
Read →Money & paymentThe business-email invoice swap
Someone impersonates a trusted business contact and tricks you into sending money to the wrong account by changing payment details in an invoice or email.
Read →Money & paymentThe real-estate closing wire fraud
A scammer impersonates someone in your real-estate deal and tricks you into wiring money to the wrong account right before closing.
Read →ImpersonationThe loan-forgiveness scam
Scammers pretend to be loan-forgiveness programs or government agencies and charge upfront fees to make your debt disappear—but the debt remains and your money is gone.
Read →Money & paymentThe 'free government grant'
Scammers falsely claim you qualify for free government money, then ask you to pay an upfront fee or share personal information to 'unlock' the grant.
Read →Money & paymentThe fake-check overpayment
Someone sends you a check for more than you're owed, then asks you to wire back the overage—but the check bounces later, leaving you responsible.
Read →ImpersonationThe refund overpayment call
A caller claims you've been overpaid or owe a refund, and asks you to send money or share account details to 'fix' it.
Read →Phishing & linksThe bank/delivery phishing text
A scam text or call pretends to be your bank or a delivery company, creating urgency to trick you into confirming personal details or clicking a link.
Read →Phishing & linksThe spoofed caller-ID call
A scammer calls you from a number that looks like it's from a trusted organization, but it's actually fake, and they pressure you to act fast.
Read →Phishing & linksThe one-time-code (2FA) theft
A scammer tricks you into sharing a one-time code meant to protect your account, then uses it to lock you out and steal your access.
Read →Money & paymentThe celebrity crypto giveaway
Scammers impersonate celebrities or use fake social media accounts to promise free cryptocurrency or money if you send a small payment first—but the giveaway is never real.
Read →Money & paymentThe advance-fee loan
In an advance-fee loan scam, someone promises you quick access to money if you pay an upfront fee first — but the loan never arrives and your fee is gone.
Read →Money & paymentThe 'free vacation' scam
Scammers lure you with promises of a free or heavily discounted vacation, then pressure you to pay upfront fees or provide payment details to claim your 'prize.'
Read →ImpersonationThe disaster-relief impersonation
Scammers impersonate disaster-relief organizations to pressure people into sending money quickly, exploiting compassion and urgency.
Read →ImpersonationThe 'bank fraud department' Zelle call
Scammers call pretending to be your bank's fraud department, create urgency around a fake Zelle transaction, and pressure you to act fast.
Read →Phishing & linksThe SIM-swap account takeover
A scammer tricks your phone carrier into switching your phone number to a device they control, letting them hijack your online accounts.
Read →Phishing & linksThe unpaid-toll text
Scammers send text messages pretending you owe money for unpaid tolls, trying to trick you into clicking a link or calling a number so they can steal your personal information.
Read →Threats & blackmailThe missed jury-duty warrant call
Scammers call claiming you missed jury duty and have a warrant, pressuring you to pay or give personal information immediately.
Read →Phishing & linksThe expiring car-warranty robocall
Scammers call claiming your car warranty is expiring and pressure you to act fast—but it's a fake alert designed to steal money or personal information.
Read →ImpersonationThe 'suspicious Amazon order' call
A scammer calls pretending to be from a shopping website, claiming there's a problem with your account or a suspicious order, and pushes you to act fast—but it's a trick to get your information or money.
Read →Money & paymentThe crypto-recovery follow-up scam
Scammers contact people who've already lost money to crypto schemes, claiming they can recover those lost funds—but only if you pay a fee or send more cryptocurrency first.
Read →Money & paymentThe 'secret sister' gift exchange
The 'secret sister' gift exchange is a chain-message scam where you're asked to send money upfront, promised returns that never arrive.
Read →Buying & sellingThe timeshare-resale scam
Scammers pose as resale specialists promising to quickly sell your timeshare, but they're really after an upfront fee you'll never recover.
Read →Buying & sellingThe event-ticket resale scam
Scammers pose as ticket sellers online, take your money for events that don't exist or tickets that were never delivered.
Read →Money & paymentThe surprise-inheritance scam
Someone contacts you claiming you've inherited money or assets from a relative or stranger you've never heard of, and asks you to pay upfront fees or share personal details to claim it.
Read →Money & paymentThe 'accidental payment, send it back' scam
Someone sends you money by mistake, asks you to send it back quickly, but the payment wasn't real—and you end up out of pocket.
Read →RelationshipsThe cloned-voice family call
A scammer uses voice-cloning technology to impersonate a family member in distress, creating urgent pressure to send money quickly.
Read →Threats & blackmailThe 'warrant for your arrest' call
A caller claiming to represent law enforcement threatens you with arrest unless you pay money immediately—but real courts never demand instant payment over the phone.
Read →Phishing & linksThe fake census / survey call
Scammers call claiming to be from a government census or survey, then ask you for personal details like your Social Security number or bank information.
Read →Money & paymentThe predatory loan-app trap
Scammers pose as loan companies and use urgency and easy approval to trick you into paying upfront fees or sharing personal information.
Read →DeliveriesThe 'unordered package' brushing scam
You receive a package you didn't order, and scammers hope you'll either keep it or help them manipulate online reviews in their favor.
Read →DeliveriesThe 'held parcel, pay a customs fee' scam
Scammers send fake messages claiming you have a parcel stuck in customs that requires a fee to release—but you never ordered anything, or the fee seems wrong.
Read →RelationshipsThe 'sugar daddy' allowance scam
In this scam, someone poses as a wealthy person interested in a romantic or mentoring relationship and promises regular payments, but the 'arrangement' turns out to be a way to trick you into sending money first.
Read →RelationshipsThe deployed-military romance scam
Someone builds a romantic relationship with you online, claims to be deployed military, and eventually asks for money for an emergency.
Read →Report a scam at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Explainers are reviewed educational content, not legal or financial advice.