Across every room
Scams
Scams show up everywhere: your texts, your job search, your apartment hunt, your taxes. Here are all 14 lessons about them in one place.
Right nowI think I'm on a scam call
Money
- Spotting IRS scamsThe IRS starts almost all contact by mail and never demands gift cards, wire transfers or crypto.
- Scholarships and scholarship scamsFinding scholarships is free. Anyone charging a fee or guaranteeing an award is a red flag.
- Investment fraud red flags"High returns, little or no risk" is the biggest red flag. Walk away from rushed deals and check the seller free on Investor.gov.
Work
- Job scams and how to spot themReal employers never charge you to get hired, send you a check to forward money, or pay you to reship packages.
Your place
- Apartment hunting and rental scamsNever pay a fee, deposit or rent before you've seen the place and confirmed who owns it.
Legal
- Freezing your creditFreeze free at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion so no one can open credit in your name. Lift it when you apply.
- Recovering from identity theftSame day: call each affected company's fraud department, then report at IdentityTheft.gov for a personal recovery plan.
Tools
- Spotting a scam text or callScammers impersonate someone you trust, rush you and want gift cards, wires or crypto. Forward scam texts to 7726.
- Fake package and toll textsDon't tap the link. Check your toll account or package yourself, forward the text to 7726, and delete it.
- QR code scamsRead the address your camera shows before opening a code. Skip codes in unexpected texts, and pay parking at the meter or real app.
- Payment app scams (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App)Pay only people you know, check the name before sending, never move money because a caller says so, and report fast.
- Buying and selling online without getting scammedMeet in public and take cash. Never accept a check for more than your price, and never share a verification code.
- Fake check and overpayment scamsIf a stranger sends a check and wants money back, it's fake. Your balance can show it for weeks before it bounces.
- What to do if you got scammedCall your bank or card company right away to stop or reverse payments, then report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.