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Is This a Scam? A Plain Checklist Before You Pay or Share Info

Not yet expert-reviewed · Last updated October 29, 2026

Is This a Scam? Check These Signs Before You Act

Key takeaways

  • Scams often share four signs: someone pretends to be a trusted group, claims a problem or a prize, pushes you to act now, and tells you to pay in a hard-to-reverse way.[1][2]
  • Never pay only by gift card, wire, cryptocurrency, or a payment app when someone insists that is the only option.[1][2][3]
  • Honest groups give you time. Anyone who says “don’t hang up” or “keep this secret” is a red flag.[1][2]
  • Stop and talk to someone you trust before you send money or share account numbers.[1]
  • If you spot a scam—or already paid—report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.[1][4]

The four signs (FTC)

The FTC teaches four common signs. You do not need all four. One strong sign is enough to pause.[1][2]

#SignWhat it often looks like
1PretendCaller ID or email looks like IRS, SSA, Medicare, FTC, your bank, a tech company, a utility, or a charity.[1][2]
2Problem or prize“You’re in trouble,” “your account is hacked,” “a relative needs bail,” or “you won—pay a fee.”[1][2]
3Pressure“Act now,” “don’t hang up,” threats of arrest, deportation, or a ruined computer.[1][2]
4Pay this way onlyGift cards, wire (Western Union / MoneyGram), cryptocurrency, payment apps, or “deposit this check and send money back.”[1][2]

Table adapted from FTC “How To Avoid a Scam” and FTC OIG “Recognizing Scams.”[1][2]

Payment method is a strong clue

In a July 2026 consumer alert, the FTC said people reported the largest losses—more than $4 billion—to scams paid with bank transfers and cryptocurrency.[3] Many of those scams impersonated a government agency, a well-known business, or both.[3] Anyone who says you can only pay that way is probably a scammer.[3]

Your 60-second yes/no checklist

Print this or keep it by the phone. If you answer yes to any item, stop.

  1. Did this contact arrive unexpectedly—call, text, email, or door knock you did not ask for?[1]
  2. Are they claiming to be a government agency, bank, tech support, utility, or charity?[1][2]
  3. Do they say there is an urgent problem or that you won something?[1][2]
  4. Are they telling you not to hang up, not to tell family, or to act right now?[1][2]
  5. Do they want payment only by gift card, wire, crypto, payment app, or cash drop-off?[1][2][3]
  6. Do they ask for your Social Security, Medicare, bank, or credit card number out of the blue?[1]
  7. Did they send a check and ask you to deposit it and send money back?[1]

If any answer is yes: hang up or close the message. Do not click links. Do not call a number they gave you. Look up the real number yourself, or talk to someone you trust first.[1]

What to do instead

  • Block unwanted calls and filter junk texts when you can.[1]
  • Don’t click links in unexpected emails or texts—even if the name looks familiar. Open the company’s site yourself or call a number from your statement.[1]
  • Prefer credit cards when you must pay a real business—they often have stronger dispute options than gift cards or wires.[3]
  • Tell someone you trust what just happened. Saying it out loud often makes the scam clearer.[1]

Paste a screenshot or message into

for a second look (free, with daily limits).

For a deeper walkthrough of common traps targeting retirees, see our Scam-Proof course when it launches.

If you already paid or shared information

Act the same day:

  1. Contact the bank, card issuer, wire company, or payment app you used. Say it was fraud and ask if they can stop or reverse it.[3][5]
  2. Change passwords on any account you may have exposed.
  3. Report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.[1][4]
  4. For online scams, also file at ic3.gov (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center).[6]
  5. Read our page on how to report a scam for a full path (FTC, IC3, AARP Fraud Watch Helpline, local police).

FAQ

How can I tell if a call is a scam? Look for the four signs: pretend identity, problem or prize, pressure, and an odd payment method. Caller ID can be faked.[1][2]

Will the FTC, IRS, SSA, or Medicare call and demand gift cards or crypto? No. The FTC says it will never threaten you, tell you to move money to “protect it,” or tell you to withdraw cash or buy gold and hand it over.[1] Real agencies and banks do not demand gift cards or crypto to “fix” a problem.[6]

Someone says my grandchild is in jail. What should I do? Hang up. Call your grandchild (or another relative) on a number you already have. Do not trust the voice alone—scammers can clone voices.[7] See our elder fraud and grandparent scam page.

Is it safe to click a link “from my bank”? Even if it looks real, open the bank’s site yourself or call the number on your card. Don’t use the link or the number in the message.[1]

Sources

  1. Federal Trade Commission. How To Avoid a Scam. FTC Consumer Advice. July 2023 (content verified via archived official page). https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-scam. Accessed October 29, 2026.
  2. Federal Trade Commission Office of Inspector General. Recognizing Scams (FTC Imposter Scams). FTC OIG. n.d. https://oig.ftc.gov/ftc-imposter-scams. Accessed October 29, 2026.
  3. Federal Trade Commission. A way to spot scams: how someone asks you to pay. FTC Consumer Advice. July 22, 2026. https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/07/way-spot-scams-how-someone-asks-you-pay. Accessed October 29, 2026.
  4. Federal Trade Commission. ReportFraud.ftc.gov. FTC. n.d. https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/. Accessed October 29, 2026.
  5. Federal Trade Commission. What To Do if You Were Scammed. FTC Consumer Advice. n.d. (content verified via archived official page). https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed. Accessed October 29, 2026.
  6. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Who do I contact for help with a scam or fraud? CFPB Ask CFPB. Reviewed August 28, 2026. https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/who-do-i-contact-for-help-with-a-scam-or-fraud-en-1777/. Accessed October 29, 2026.
  7. Federal Trade Commission. Scammers use AI to enhance their family emergency schemes. FTC Consumer Advice. March 17, 2023 (content verified via archived official page). https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/03/scammers-use-ai-enhance-their-family-emergency-schemes. Accessed October 29, 2026.

Disclaimer

This article is for general education only and is not medical, legal, or financial advice. Talk to your doctor, a licensed attorney, or a SHIP counselor (Medicare) about your situation. In an emergency, call 911.

Attribution

Portions of this page are adapted from "HowToLiveBetter" (高性价比人生指南) by eternity4719, https://github.com/eternity4719/HowToLiveBetter, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Changes: topic and evidence approach adapted from Chapters 08 and 13 (anti-fraud / emergencies); rewritten for the U.S. context and re-sourced to U.S. research and official guidance. Not a direct translation.

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