Scammers are individuals or organizations who try to trick people into giving them money or personal information. They can be very convincing and may use a variety of tactics to try to deceive you. It’s important to be aware of these tactics and to know how to identify a scammer in order to protect yourself and your assets.

Here are a few ways to identify a scammer:

They ask for personal information or money upfront

Scammers will often try to get you to give them personal information, such as your social security number or bank account information, or to send them money before you have a chance to verify their identity or the legitimacy of their request.

They use high-pressure tactics


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Scammers never stop devising schemes to separate us from our hard-earned money. So, make sure to sign up for our weekly email scam alerts. TotalScam!™ Alert will notify you as soon new scams are discovered.

Scammers may try to rush you into making a decision or may try to create a sense of urgency in order to get you to act without thinking.

They offer too-good-to-be-true deals

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true, especially if they require you to send money or give personal information in order to take advantage of the deal.

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They have poor grammar or spelling

Scammers may not take the time to proofread their communications, so look for mistakes in spelling and grammar as a red flag.

They refuse to provide verifiable information

A legitimate business or organization should be able to provide verifiable information about itself, such as a physical address or phone number. Be suspicious if the person or organization you are dealing with is unwilling or unable to provide this information.

If you suspect that you are dealing with a scammer, it’s important to protect yourself by not giving out personal information or sending money. Instead, do your own research to verify the legitimacy of the request and consider seeking advice from a trusted source, such as a financial advisor or the authorities. By being aware of these tactics and knowing how to identify a scammer, you can protect yourself and your assets from fraud.

How to avoid getting scammed?

Getting scammed can be a frustrating and stressful experience, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself and reduce the risk of falling victim to a scam. Here are a few tips to help you avoid getting scammed:

Be cautious of unsolicited offers

If you receive an unsolicited offer, whether it’s in the form of an email, phone call, or in-person pitch, be cautious. Scammers often use unsolicited offers to try to trick people into giving them money or personal information.

Don’t give out personal information

Handle personal information, such as social security numbers, bank details, or credit card numbers, with care. Only provide this information if you are certain the entity requesting it is legitimate.

Research the company or individual

Conduct research to verify the legitimacy of a company or individual before doing business with them. Search for reviews and confirm their physical address or contact number.

Be wary of too-good-to-be-true offers

Be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true, particularly if they necessitate sending money or providing personal information to benefit from it.

Use secure websites and payment methods

To protect your personal information and financial details when shopping or sharing information online, ensure the use of secure websites and payment methods. Look for websites that start with “https” and consider using a secure payment service like PayPal.

Never pay for products or services using irreversible payment methods such as Western Union, MoneyGram, Giftcards, or Cryptocurrency.

Expose a Scammer

The following phone numbers, websites, and emails have been reported to us by the consumer. If you feel this information is incorrect, you may submit a request for removal or correction by contacting us using this form.

Submit phone numbers, websites, or email addresses associated with a scam. Your submission will be published as soon as it gets reviewed by one of our staff members.

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Our investigations into Common Scams of 2024

By following these tips and being cautious, you can reduce the risk of falling victim to a scam. If you suspect that you have been the target of a scam, contact the authorities and report the incident to help protect others from falling victim to the same scam.


GET FREE SCAM ALERTS VIA EMAIL AS SOON AS THEY ARE EXPOSED


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NEVER GET SCAMMED AGAIN!

Scammers never stop devising schemes to separate us from our hard-earned money. So, make sure to sign up for our weekly email scam alerts. TotalScam!™ Alert will notify you as soon new scams are discovered.

Attention: Consumers who have been contacted by scammers could have had their personal information breached. TotalScam!™ highly recommends that consumers whose information has been breached obtain an identity theft protection service immediately.

There are several companies that offer identity theft protection in the US. One of the most inexpensive options we were able to find is the protection offered by LifeLock. You can start your protection here.

Disclaimer: The information and opinions contained on this site are not endorsed by LifeLock. TotalScam!™ receives compensation from LifeLock. This helps support our scam prevention efforts.

FAQ

Fraudulent websites can be easily spotted by looking out for these 5 red flags. Learn about them by visiting the following this link: How to tell if the website is a scam in 5 steps.

Absolutely! Not only you should report the scammers to the FTC and IC3, but you may also want to expose them online. Websites such as SCAMGUARD™ allow victims of fraud to tell their stories and warn the public of fraudulent schemes.

Yes. If scammers are in possession of your personal information, they can use that to steal your identity. For more on this subject, please read: How scams lead to identity theft.

There are various ways in which scammers gain access to your personal information. One such way is by purchasing consumer data on the darknet. When a website is hacked, which happens quite often, hackers steal databases containing personal information and sell that to the highest bidder. This information is then used to steal identities, ruining lives in the process. For more on this subject, follow this link: How scams lead to identity theft.

It depends on the method of payment. For more on this subject, please read: How to recover your money if you’ve been scammed.

Most scam artists reside outside of the US and use threats to exact more money from their victims. Nevertheless, all threats should be taken seriously, especially if scammers have your name and address.

Our investigations into Common Scams of 2024