According to the FTC, consumers reported losing more than $10 billion to fraud in 2023.

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Group of people working together to spot scams on their devices, and dump the pesky scammers into the trash.
If the stories scammers used were actually
true, they'd be unbelievable .
Is your relative really in need of gift card bail payments?
0:72s
Is that really the government asking for gift cards?
0:30s
Is that really your boss asking for gift card PIN numbers?
0:15s
#1

Slow it down — Scammers often create a sense of urgency so that they can bypass your better instincts. Take your time and ask questions to avoid being rushed into a bad situation.

What a scammer might say:
You need to act fast. If you don’t make a payment now, we’ll be forced to take legal action against you.
#2

Spot check — Do your research to double check the details you’re getting. If you get an unexpected phone call, hang up. Then look up the bank, agency or organization that’s supposedly calling and get in touch directly.

What a scammer might say:
This is the IRS calling. We haven’t received your tax payments for four years. That’s a federal crime.
#3

Stop! Don't send — No reputable person or agency will ever demand payment on the spot. Often, scammers tell you to go buy gift cards—which are meant only to be given as a gift, not as payment under threat. So if you think the payment feels fishy, it probably is.

What a scammer might say:
Please send us EnormoMart GIFT CARDS of $100 or $200 face value. I need 20 of each card.

Let’s see how these three golden rules can be applied to the most common types of scams.

Learn the scams
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And test your knowledge with real-life examples to see if you can tell who’s behind the screen.

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Fighting fraud is a team effort. With support from Google, the Cybercrime Support Network is working to help everyone be scam aware and stop fraudsters for good.

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Join the fight against fraud. If a scammer has tried to contact you, report it to the FTC so that agencies on the lookout can protect more people.

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