Get quick skills to identify scams on social, in games, by text, and when shopping online. Use simple scripts to shut scammers down and fast links to report and recover.
If something feels urgent or secret, slow down. Real employers, schools, and companies do not make you act now or pay to get paid.
Each card explains how it works, the red flags, what to do, and where to report.
Ads or DMs push trendy items at big discounts, then ghost you or send cheap knockoffs.
Messages look official and try to get your login or 2FA codes. QR stickers can send you to fake sites.
Fake recruiters or task apps offer easy money, then ask for fees or send fake checks.
Someone guarantees a scholarship or says they will do your FAFSA for a fee.
Someone builds trust online, then nudges you into a sure thing investment or urgent money help.
Fraud sites show fake profits, then lock your account and demand withdrawal fees.
Pop ups or calls claim your device is infected and demand remote access or payment.
These visuals are teaching tools based on patterns highlighted by agencies like the FTC, SEC, CFTC, and BBB. They are illustrative, not official statistics.
Social media and messaging are frequent starting points. Data spotlight
High risk payments are hard to reverse: gift cards, crypto ATMs, and wire transfers.
Pressure to act now is a universal red flag.
Paste a shop or recruiter link to run a local check on common red flags. This runs in your browser and does not contact any site.
This is not definitive. Always search the name plus scam. Prefer credit cards for purchase protection. See FTC shopping guidance.
If a stranger asks for money or codes, use one of these lines to end the chat.
The FTC will never ask you to move money to protect it. If someone says the FTC or a bank wants you to transfer funds, it is a scam. Learn more
Data points change over time. Read the linked pages for the latest details from official sources.