Scam Safety
Avoid scams before you click, pay, reply, or share information.
Use this before the risky moment: clicking a link, sending money, replying, sharing a code, entering personal information, installing something, or trusting an online request.
Simple checks before you act
Before you act, check the request, the identity, the destination, the payment or information involved, and the pressure being used.
Check the request
Ask what the person or message wants you to do: click, pay, reply, share a code, enter information, install something, or keep it secret.
Check the identity
Verify outside the message. Use the real app, saved bookmark, official website, or a phone number you already know is legitimate.
Check the destination
Look closely at links, QR codes, login pages, app downloads, payment pages, and any place asking for account or financial information.
Check the payment or information
Be extra careful with hard-to-reverse payments, one-time codes, passwords, SSNs, bank details, card numbers, and ID images.
Check the pressure
Urgency, secrecy, threats, fake proof, too-good prices, recovery promises, and off-platform moves are reasons to pause before acting.
Choose the guide that fits your situation
Use these when the situation is more specific, like a marketplace deal, dating conversation, shopping page, social media message, family concern, public Wi-Fi network, travel booking, student issue, or remote work request.
Avoid Online Scams
Avoid online scams before you click, pay, or share information.
Start here for the basic habits that help stop many scams before they turn into a click, payment, login, code, download, or private conversation.
Learn basic checksSeniors & Families
Online scam safety for seniors and families.
For older adults and families trying to slow down suspicious calls, texts, gift card requests, tech support warnings, romance pressure, and money requests.
Protect familyParents, Kids & Teens
Online scam safety for parents, kids, and teens.
For families dealing with suspicious DMs, gaming scams, fake giveaways, account warnings, verification-code requests, and pressure on kids or teens.
Protect kids and teensMarketplace Safety
Marketplace safety before you pay, ship, meet, or share a code.
For buying or selling online before money, shipping, pickup, payment screenshots, deposits, or verification codes become a problem.
Check marketplace safetyOnline Dating
Online dating safety before money, crypto, or secrecy enters the chat.
For dating apps and social conversations before a match asks for money, gift cards, crypto, travel help, secrecy, or off-platform contact.
Check dating safetyPublic Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi safety before you log in, shop, bank, or travel.
For hotels, airports, cafes, schools, libraries, coworking spaces, and shared networks before logging in, entering payment details, or trusting a Wi-Fi prompt.
Check Wi-Fi safetyOnline Shopping
Online shopping safety before you pay, click, or enter card details.
For unfamiliar stores, social media deals, checkout pages, fake tracking, subscription offers, and payment requests before buying.
Check store safetySocial Media
Social media scam safety before you click, reply, share a code, or trust a profile.
For suspicious DMs, fake giveaways, hacked friend accounts, shopping ads, crypto pitches, job offers, and account warnings on social platforms.
Check social media safetyStudents
Student scam safety before you apply, pay, click, or share information.
For school emails, fake jobs, scholarships, rentals, textbooks, payment apps, campus listings, and student account messages.
Check student safetyTravelers
Travel scam safety before you book, pay, connect, or scan.
For bookings, vacation rentals, travel texts, public Wi-Fi, QR codes, taxis, payments, passport details, and phone/account safety while traveling.
Check travel safetyRemote Workers
Remote work safety before you click, approve, connect, or share files.
For work email, shared files, public Wi-Fi, fake IT requests, payroll changes, invoices, remote access, and coworking or travel work setups.
Check remote work safetyIf something already happened
If you already clicked, paid, replied, shared a code, entered information, installed something, or noticed account changes, switch to the page that matches what happened.
Common questions
What should I check before clicking a suspicious link?
Check who sent it, whether the message creates urgency, where the link goes, and whether the same request appears in the real app or website. Do not use the link itself to prove the message is real.
What should I do before sending money to someone online?
Pause if the payment uses gift cards, crypto, wire transfers, payment apps, deposits, overpayments, or pressure to act fast. Verify the person, the reason, and the payment path outside the message.
Is it safe to share a verification code?
Do not share one-time codes, login links, password reset codes, or account recovery prompts with someone who contacted you first. A code can give another person access to an account or approve an action.
How can I help a family member slow down before paying?
Focus on the request, not whether the story sounds believable. Ask what they are being asked to do, how they were contacted, why the payment must happen now, and whether they can verify it through a known number or official account.
What if I already clicked, paid, shared information, or installed something?
Use the page that matches what happened next. Payment, account, personal information, remote access, and device changes need different steps than prevention guidance.
Does ScamClarity need private information to use these guides?
No. Do not enter passwords, SSNs, bank logins, full card numbers, private account credentials, or one-time codes into ScamClarity.