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Romance Scams

• It starts with a fake relationship: A scammer pretends to be romantically interested, often using stolen photos and a convincing backstory.
• Contact happens online: Dating apps, social media, or messaging platforms are common, and the scammer quickly pushes the conversation to private channels.
• Trust is built quickly: They use constant attention, flattery, and emotional stories to create a strong bond in a short time.
• Distance is part of the story: The scammer claims to be far away (overseas job, military service, traveling), making in‑person meetings impossible.
• A crisis or opportunity appears: They ask for money due to emergencies, travel costs, business problems, or “investment” opportunities.
• Unusual payment methods are requested: Gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or prepaid cards are common and major red flags.
• Pressure and secrecy are used: They create urgency and discourage you from talking to friends, family, or your bank.
• Protect yourself by slowing down: Never send money to someone you haven’t met, verify identities, watch for red flags, and talk to a trusted person or financial institution before taking action.

Crypto Scams

• It starts with a promise of easy or guaranteed profits, often through cryptocurrency “investments,” trading tips, or special opportunities that sound low‑risk and high‑return.
• Contact commonly comes from someone you don’t know (or someone impersonating a friend or expert) via social media, text messages, dating apps, email, or messaging apps.
• The scammer builds credibility quickly, claiming to be a crypto expert, using fake screenshots, websites, or apps that show fabricated profits.
• You’re instructed to buy cryptocurrency using a legitimate exchange and then transfer it to a wallet or platform the scammer controls.
• Early “gains” are often shown, encouraging you to invest more, but these profits are fake and only exist on a scammer‑controlled interface.
• When you try to withdraw funds, you’re told to pay additional fees, taxes, or deposits—any money sent at this point is also stolen.
• Crypto transactions are irreversible, meaning once funds are sent, they typically cannot be recovered.
• Protect yourself by being skeptical and slowing down: never send crypto to someone you don’t know, avoid guaranteed‑return claims, independently verify platforms, don’t click unsolicited links, and talk to your bank or a trusted person before investing.

Charitable Donations

• The scam exploits goodwill, often appearing during disasters, emergencies, holidays, or emotional events when people are more likely to donate quickly.
• Scammers impersonate real charities or create fake ones, using names, logos, or websites that closely resemble legitimate organizations.
• Contact may come unexpectedly, through phone calls, emails, texts, social media posts, crowdfunding pages, or even door‑to‑door requests.
• Urgency and emotion are used to pressure you, with messages like “act now,” “time is running out,” or stories designed to provoke fear, sympathy, or guilt.
• Payment methods are often unusual or unsecure, such as gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, peer‑to‑peer apps, or requests to click unfamiliar links.
• Donations do not go to a real cause, and once money is sent, it is typically unrecoverable.
• Scammers may resist verification, discouraging you from researching the charity, providing official documentation, or taking time to think.
• Protect yourself by slowing down: donate only through verified charity websites, research the organization independently, never give payment or personal information under pressure, and talk to a trusted person or your bank if something feels off.

Online Marketplace

• A scammer poses as a buyer or seller on an online marketplace (Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, eBay‑style sites) using fake or compromised accounts.
• The offer looks unusually good or urgent, such as a high‑value item priced low or a buyer who wants to pay immediately without questions.
• The scammer pushes communication off the platform, asking to switch to text, email, or messaging apps to avoid marketplace protections and monitoring.
• Payment or shipping is manipulated, often involving fake payment confirmations, overpayment schemes, or requests to ship items before funds actually clear.
• Unusual payment methods are requested, such as gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, peer‑to‑peer apps, or “escrow” links that are fake.
• Fake links or emails are used, impersonating legitimate marketplaces or payment services to trick you into entering login or banking information.
• Once money or items are sent, the scammer disappears, deletes their account, or blocks further communication.
• Protect yourself by staying on the platform: don’t rush, avoid off‑platform payments, verify buyer/seller profiles, never share login codes, and only accept secure, traceable payment methods approved by the marketplace.

Rental Scams

• A scammer advertises a rental that isn’t really theirs, often using stolen photos and descriptions from legitimate listings or real properties.
• The deal looks unusually good, such as rent priced well below market, flexible requirements, or “first come, first served” availability to push quick decisions.
• Initial contact happens through ads or messages, and the scammer may avoid phone calls or video chats, preferring text or email only.
• You’re told you can’t see the property yet, with excuses like being out of town, handling things remotely, or needing payment before showing it.
• An upfront payment is requested, such as an application fee, security deposit, or first month’s rent before a lease is signed or keys are provided.
• Risky payment methods are used, including gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, prepaid cards, or peer‑to‑peer apps.
• Once money is sent, the scammer disappears, the listing is taken down, and the property turns out to be unavailable or never existed.
• Protect yourself by slowing down: never send money before touring a property and signing a legitimate lease, verify ownership or management independently, avoid pressure tactics, and use secure, traditional payment methods.

Fake Employment

• It starts with a job offer that seems too good to be true, such as high pay for little experience, flexible hours, or “work‑from‑home” roles with minimal requirements.
• The scammer impersonates a legitimate company or recruiter, often using copied logos, fake email addresses, or social media profiles that closely resemble real organizations.
• Contact is made through email, text, or job boards, and interviews may be skipped or conducted only by chat or message—never face‑to‑face or via video.
• You’re quickly told you’re hired, sometimes within hours or days, to create excitement and reduce skepticism.
• The scammer asks for money or sensitive information, claiming it’s needed for background checks, onboarding fees, equipment, or direct deposit setup.
• A fake check or payment may be sent, with instructions to deposit it and send part of the money elsewhere—when the check bounces, you’re responsible for the loss.
• Urgency and secrecy are emphasized, pressuring you to act fast and discouraging you from talking to friends, family, or your bank.
• Protect yourself by slowing down: verify the employer independently, never pay to get a job, don’t share personal or financial information upfront, be cautious of non‑traditional interviews, and contact your bank or a trusted person if something feels off.

Account Takeover

• The scam begins with stolen login information, often obtained through phishing emails, fake websites, data breaches, malware, or password reuse across multiple sites.
• The scammer gains access to one of your accounts, such as email, banking, social media, or shopping accounts, sometimes without you noticing right away.
• Email accounts are a primary target, because once compromised, scammers can reset passwords for other services and take over multiple accounts.
• Account details are changed, including passwords, recovery emails, phone numbers, and security questions, locking you out of your own account.
• Fraudulent activity follows, such as unauthorized transfers, purchases, sending scam messages to your contacts, or accessing sensitive personal information.
• Urgency and confusion are created, with fake alerts, password reset emails, or messages that make it harder for victims to react quickly.
• Losses can escalate quickly, especially if the account is tied to financial services or used to impersonate you.
• Protect yourself by strengthening security: use unique passwords for every account, enable multi‑factor authentication (MFA), be cautious of links and attachments, monitor accounts regularly, and contact your bank or service provider immediately if you notice suspicious activity.

Spoofing – Imposter Scam

• A scammer pretends to be a trusted source, such as your bank, a government agency, a utility company, a business, law enforcement, or even a coworker or family member.
• They “spoof” contact information, making phone numbers, email addresses, caller ID, or text messages look legitimate—even though they aren’t.
• Contact is unexpected and urgent, often claiming there’s a problem with your account, suspicious activity, missed payment, refund, or legal issue.
• Fear or pressure is used, with threats like account suspension, arrest, service shutoff, or lost funds unless you act immediately.
• You’re asked to share sensitive information, such as one‑time passcodes, passwords, Social Security numbers, or banking details.
• Or you’re instructed to move money, including transfers, gift cards, wire payments, cryptocurrency, or peer‑to‑peer apps “to secure your account.”
• Once the action is taken, the scammer uses the information or funds and disappears; any spoofed messages or calls stop.
• Protect yourself by slowing down and verifying: don’t trust caller ID alone, never share codes or credentials, hang up and contact the organization using a known phone number, and contact your bank right away if something feels off.

Vishing, Smishing, and Phishing

• The scammer pretends to be a trusted source, such as your bank, a business, government agency, utility company, or tech support.
• Phishing uses email, Smishing uses text messages, and Vishing uses phone calls—but the goal is always the same: trick you into trusting the message or caller.
• Messages or calls appear legitimate, often using spoofed email addresses, phone numbers, logos, or official‑sounding language.
• A problem or opportunity is claimed, such as suspicious account activity, a missed delivery, a refund, password reset, or urgent security alert.
• Urgency and pressure are applied, warning you to act immediately or face consequences like account suspension, fraud, or legal action.
• You’re asked to take a risky action, such as clicking a link, opening an attachment, providing login credentials, sharing one‑time codes, or sending money.
• Once you respond, scammers steal your information, money, or access to your accounts—and may use it for further fraud or impersonation.
• Protect yourself by slowing down and verifying: don’t click unexpected links, don’t share passwords or codes, be suspicious of urgent requests, hang up or stop responding, and contact the organization using a known, trusted phone number or website.