Scam types

Each type collects the alerts tagged with it. An alert can appear under more than one type when the public source describes more than one tactic.

• Phone

  Unexpected calls that pretend to be a bank, a charity, a company, or a public office. Caller ID can be faked, so the number on the screen is not proof of who is calling.

  6 alerts

• Text message

  Texts about deliveries, tolls, loans, refunds, or fines. The message usually pushes a link or a QR code and asks you to act before you have time to check.

  10 alerts

• Email

  Email that imitates an agency, a carrier, or a campaign. The goal is usually a click that leads to a look-alike page, or a reply that hands over personal details.

  4 alerts

• Crypto & investment

  Pitches for cryptocurrency, forex, or stocks that promise fast profits, show fake account screens, or ask for more money before you can withdraw.

  2 alerts

• Romance

  Someone met online who builds trust, avoids meeting in person, and then asks for money, gift cards, or help with an investment.

  1 alert

• IRS & government

  Impersonators posing as the IRS, the FTC, the FBI, a court, or another public office. Real agencies do not demand payment by phone, text, or email.

  10 alerts

• Package delivery

  Messages that look like they come from USPS, UPS, FedEx, or another carrier and claim a package is stuck until you click or pay.

  2 alerts

• Tech support

  Pop-ups, calls, or ads that say your computer is infected and tell you to call a number or grant remote access. Real security warnings do not ask you to phone a stranger.

  1 alert

• Home repair

  Contractors and utility impostors who show up after storms, demand cash up front, or skip a written contract, license, and proof of insurance.

  3 alerts

• Health insurance

  Look-alike Medicare or Marketplace sites, paid search ads, and plans that are not real health insurance. Official enrollment sites end in .gov.

  1 alert

• QR code

  QR codes on parking meters, in texts, or on notices that send you to a payment page the agency or business did not create.

  2 alerts

• Mail

  Postcards and letters about prizes, vouchers, or benefits that ask for a fee before anything is sent.

  1 alert