Stop
Hang up. Stop texting. Close the website. Don't send money or personal information while someone is pressuring you.
SIMPLE. PRACTICAL. SCAM SAFETY.
Scam Safety: Learn How to Recognize, Avoid, and Recover From Scams
Scammers use fear, urgency, love, trust, and confusion to get people to send money or personal information.
If something doesn't feel right, stop before you send anything.
01
WHAT SHOULD I DO?
Three Steps That Can Help Stop a Scam
Think
Ask yourself whether the request is unexpected, urgent, secret, or asking for an unusual payment method.
Verify
Contact the real person or organization yourself. Use a phone number or website you find independently.
02
THE SCAMMER IS ASKING YOU FOR MONEY
Stop Before You Pay
🛑 DON'T SEND THE MONEY.
Hang up. Stop texting. Close the website. Take a breath and talk to someone you trust.
❌ Don't buy gift cards.
❌ Don't send cryptocurrency.
❌ Don't move money to a "safe" account.
❌ Don't give anyone a verification code.
❌ Don't give remote access to your computer.
❌ Don't let anyone pressure you into acting now.
🎁 GIFT CARDS ARE FOR GIFTS — NOT PAYMENTS.
Legitimate organizations generally do not demand that you buy gift cards and give them the numbers to pay a bill, fine, debt, or emergency.
PAYMENT WARNING
Be Careful With Unusual Payment Demands
If someone unexpectedly tells you that you must pay by gift card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, bank transfer, cash, or a payment app, stop and independently verify the request.
Scammers often favor payment methods that can be difficult to reverse.
FTC: How someone asks you to pay can reveal a scam →
03
ACT QUICKLY
I Already Sent Money to a Scammer — What Should I Do?
💳 Credit or Debit Card
Contact the card company or bank. Tell them the charge was fraudulent and ask whether the transaction can be reversed.
🏦 Bank Transfer
Contact your bank immediately. Tell them you were scammed and ask whether the transfer can be stopped or reversed.
🎁 Gift Card
Contact the gift-card company immediately. Tell them the card was used in a scam and ask what recovery options are available.
Keep the card and receipt.💸 Wire Transfer
Contact the wire-transfer company or your bank immediately. Report the transfer as fraudulent and ask if it can be reversed.
📱 Payment App
Report the fraudulent transaction to the payment company immediately and ask what options are available.
₿ Cryptocurrency
Crypto payments can be difficult to reverse, but contact the company or service you used and report the fraudulent transaction immediately.
📸 Save the Evidence
Keep screenshots, receipts, emails, text messages, phone numbers, usernames, websites, payment records, gift cards, and anything else connected to the scam.
04
HELP SOMEONE YOU LOVE
Worried About a Family Member?
Don't shame them. Help them.
Scammers are professionals. They know how to create fear, urgency, trust, and emotional pressure. Being targeted does not mean someone is stupid.
✅ DO
- Stay calm.
- Listen without judging.
- Ask questions.
- Help them call their bank.
- Help save evidence.
- Help report the scam.
- Stay with them while they get help.
❌ DON'T
- Call them stupid.
- Embarrass them.
- Blame them.
- Argue aggressively.
- Tell them they should have known better.
- Let shame keep them from getting help.
Try saying:
"Let's slow this down. You don't have to send anything right now. Let's check it together."
PLAN AHEAD
Create a Family Scam-Safety Rule
Agree now that nobody in the family will send emergency money during a phone call until they have independently contacted another family member.
You can also create a private family code word that can help verify a genuine emergency.
05
KNOW THE SCAMS
Common Scams and How to Recognize Them
📞 Phone Scams
A caller claims to be your bank, police department, government agency, utility company, or another organization.
Remember: Caller ID can be faked. Hang up and call the organization using a number you find yourself.❤️ Romance Scams
Someone builds an online relationship and eventually asks for money, gifts, cryptocurrency, or financial help.
Remember: Be extremely cautious about sending money or gifts to someone you've only met online. FBI romance scam information →👨👩👧 Fake Family Emergency
Someone claims to be your child, grandchild, friend, or relative and says they urgently need money.
Remember: Hang up and call the family member directly using a number you already have.🏛️ Government Impersonation
Someone pretends to be from the IRS, Social Security, Medicare, police, court, or another agency.
Remember: Threats, secrecy, urgency, and demands for unusual payment are major warning signs.🎁 Gift Card Scams
The scammer tells you to buy gift cards and give them the numbers or PINs.
Remember: Gift cards are for gifts, not payments. FTC gift card guidance →💻 Tech Support Scams
Someone claims your computer has a problem and asks for money, passwords, or remote access.
Remember: Don't give unexpected callers remote access to your computer.💰 Investment Scams
Someone promises guaranteed profits or pressures you into making an investment quickly.
Remember: Guaranteed profits and pressure are major warning signs.💼 Job Scams
A fake employer offers a job and then asks you to send money, buy equipment, or deposit a check.
Remember: Never pay someone simply to get a job.📦 Delivery & Phishing Scams
A text or email claims there is a delivery problem, account problem, or urgent security issue.
Remember: Don't click unexpected links. Visit the real organization's website yourself.
❤️ ROMANCE SCAM WARNING
If Someone You Met Online Asks You for Money
Slow down.
It doesn't matter how long you've been talking. It doesn't matter how much they say they love you. It doesn't matter what emergency they describe.
Be extremely cautious before sending money or gifts to someone you haven't met in person.
- They can't meet you in person.
- They suddenly have an emergency.
- They want you to keep the relationship secret.
- They ask for gift cards or cryptocurrency.
- They promise to pay you back.
- They tell you your family doesn't understand.
06
BEFORE A LARGE PAYMENT
Take Five Minutes Before Sending a Large Payment
Before sending a large amount of money, ask:
- Did I start this transaction myself?
- Have I personally verified who I'm paying?
- Is someone telling me I must act immediately?
- Am I being told to keep this secret?
- Am I being asked to use gift cards, crypto, cash, wire transfers, or another unusual payment method?
- Am I being told to move money to "protect" it?
- Have I talked to someone I trust?
- Would I still make this payment tomorrow?
If you're unsure, don't send it yet.
You can always make a legitimate payment later.
A scammer wants you to believe you cannot wait.
07
PHONE SAFETY
Don't Trust Caller ID
A familiar number can still be a scam.
Scammers can make a different name or number appear on your caller ID.
If someone calls unexpectedly and asks for money or sensitive information:
- Hang up.
- Find the organization's real phone number yourself.
- Call the official number.
- Ask whether the original call was legitimate.
08
PERSONAL INFORMATION
I Gave a Scammer My Personal Information — What Now?
🔐 Password
Change it immediately. If you used the same password elsewhere, change it there too.
🪪 Social Security Number
Visit the official IdentityTheft.gov recovery site for next steps.
IdentityTheft.gov →💻 Computer Access
Update your security software, run a scan, and take steps to protect your accounts.
📱 Phone Account
Contact your mobile provider if someone took control of your phone number or account.
09
TRUSTED HELP
Official Scam & Fraud Resources
ScamSafety.org is an educational resource. When you need to report fraud or recover from identity theft, use official government and financial-service resources whenever possible.
🚨 Report Fraud to the FTC
Report scams and fraud.
🛡️ FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
Report internet-enabled crime.
👵 FBI Elder Fraud
Information and reporting resources for older adults.
🔐 IdentityTheft.gov
Official identity-theft recovery guidance.
📚 FTC Consumer Advice
Consumer protection information and scam alerts.
💻 CISA
Cybersecurity and online safety guidance.
📊 AnnualCreditReport.com
Official source for free credit reports.
🇺🇸 USA.gov
Government information about scams and fraud.
WHY THIS SITE EXISTS
Why I Built ScamSafety.org
I've watched people I love lose real money to scammers — money they worked hard for, and in some cases, savings they couldn't get back.
Scams are getting more common, more convincing, and more personal. I built ScamSafety.org because I wanted something simple I could point people to in the moment — before they send money, or right after, when it's hardest to know what to do next.
This site does not replace the official resources linked throughout it. It's meant to make reliable information easier to find when it matters most.
Information on this site should be checked against the current guidance from the relevant government agency, bank, payment company, or other official source.
If this page helps you, please share it with someone who might need it too.
REMEMBER
Stop. Get Help. Act Quickly.
Scammers are criminals who know how to manipulate people. They use fear, love, urgency, trust, and pressure.
If it happened to you or someone you love, don't hide it and don't be ashamed.
You are not alone. Start by stopping the scam and getting help.
YOUR FEEDBACK MATTERS
I built this site to help people stay scam safe. Did it help you today?
Thank you for the feedback. It helps me make this site better.