Tools and tables
Scam types
The common scams by how they reach you: what each sounds like, what they ask for, the tell, what to do and where to report. Filter by call, text, email, pop-up or money moved.
Every row follows the same four signs: they pretend to be someone you know, they say there is a problem or a prize, they push you to act now, and they tell you how to pay (Recognizing scams). The descriptions are our summaries of the FTC's and the FBI's pages, read on 2026-10-19. Scams can happen to anyone; the person at fault is the scammer. Report any of them at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and at ic3.gov if it happened online.
| Type | What it sounds like | What they ask for | The tell | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government imposter | A call or message from the IRS, Social Security, Medicare or the FTC. Caller ID may show the agency's real name or number. | Payment, or your Social Security number, to fix a problem or avoid arrest. | The FTC does not ask for money or threaten arrest. Social Security does not threaten you or call asking you to pay. The IRS writes first if you owe. | Hang up. Call the agency at a number you look up yourself. | FTC, SSA; chapter |
| Bank imposter | A call or text from your bank's fraud department, sometimes from its real number, about a hacked account. | A sign-in code, or money moved to a "safe" account. | No caller asks for your code; the FTC calls that always a scam. No real bank tells you to move money to protect it. | Hang up. Call the number on your card or statement. | FTC alert; chapter |
| Tech support | A pop-up, a call or a fake renewal notice saying your computer is infected or a plan is renewing. | A call to a number on the screen, remote access to your computer, and payment. | Real security warnings never ask you to call a number. Real tech companies do not call, email or text about problems on your computer. | Close the window. Do not call. If you let someone in, disconnect and scan. | FTC; chapter |
| Phantom hacker (three callers) | Tech support first, then "your bank", then "the government", each confirming the last. | Remote access, then money moved to a "safe" account, sometimes "the Federal Reserve". | Three organizations taking turns on one problem. No agency holds your money for safekeeping. | Stop all contact. Call your bank at the number on your card. | FBI PSA; chapter |
| Family emergency, and cloned voices | A relative or a lawyer, officer or doctor speaking for them. Urgent and secret. The voice may sound right. | Money by wire, gift card, crypto or payment app, or cash for a courier. | The secrecy and the payment method. A voice can be cloned from a short clip. | Hang up. Call the person at the number you have. Use your family code word. | FTC; chapter |
| Romance | A new online friend who moves the chat off the app, cannot meet, and later has a problem. | Money for medical bills, travel or visa fees, or help "getting started" in crypto. | They cannot meet in person, and they ask for money. | Do not send money or gifts to someone you have not met in person. Talk to someone you trust. | FTC; chapter |
| Investment and crypto | An offer, often with a celebrity endorsement or from an online friend, of guaranteed profits on a platform. | A deposit, then fees or "taxes" to withdraw. | Guaranteed profits. A platform that will not let you withdraw. | Do not pay. Search the platform's name with "scam". | FTC; chapter |
| Crypto kiosk and cash courier | A caller who stays on the line and walks you to a crypto ATM, or sends a courier for cash or gold. | Cash into a kiosk by QR code, or cash handed over. | Instructions to withdraw cash and scan a QR code. A stranger coming to collect. | Hang up. Never hand cash to a stranger or pay a kiosk on someone's instructions. | FBI PSA (kiosks), FBI PSA (couriers); chapter |
| Toll, delivery and "wrong number" texts | A text about an unpaid toll, a delivery problem or a re-delivery fee, or a friendly wrong-number message. | A tap on a link, a small payment, or personal details such as a driver's license number. | A link to pay something you did not expect. | Do not tap. Check with the agency or company at a site you type in. Forward to 7726, then delete. | FTC (tolls), FTC (spam texts); chapter |
| Phishing email | An email about a sign-in problem, an account on hold, a payment issue or an invoice you do not recognize. | A click, a sign-in on a fake page, or payment details. | Real companies do not email or text links to update payment information. | Go to the company's site yourself. Forward the email to reportphishing@apwg.org. | FTC; chapter |
| Prize or sweepstakes | You won, but there are taxes or shipping to pay first. | A fee to collect. | Real sweepstakes are free. Paying to collect means it is a scam. | Do not pay. | FTC; chapter |
| Fake check | A check for more than you are owed, with a request to send back the difference. | Money sent back by wire, gift card or crypto. | Being asked to return part of a check. A fake check can take weeks to uncover, and you repay the bank. | Do not spend or send money from it until the bank confirms the check cleared. | FTC; chapter |
| Job and task scams | An unexpected message offering paid tasks, "product boosting", reshipping, or pay to rate or like things. | A deposit, usually crypto, to unlock your earnings, or a fee to get the job. | Being asked to pay to get paid. | Stop. Honest employers do not ask you to pay to get a job. | FTC; chapter |
| Recovery scam | Someone who knows you lost money and offers to get it back: a "government agency", a law firm or the original company. | An upfront fee, or account numbers to "deposit a refund". | Agencies and legitimate groups do not charge for refund help or guarantee recovery. | Do not pay. Look up the agency's number yourself. | FTC; chapter |
Limits
A scam can show none of these tells, and a real bank does sometimes call. This table cannot say whether a particular message is a scam. The call-back habit works either way: hang up and call the organization at a number you already have. Who to report to is in who to call.