Is this a scam? Pause before you pay or share.
If you feel rushed, isolated, or asked to pay before you receive anything — pause. That feeling is usually right. Take two minutes to check it properly.
This is a second opinion, not a verdict. We never say a message is safe. If anything matches what you saw, slow down and verify before sending money or sharing codes.
Unknown number
Phone call · Today · 14:02
What this scam is, in plain words
A scam is when someone you don't know contacts you, builds urgency or trust, and asks you to pay or share something private. They change the story each time — a refund, a job, a parcel, a romance, a bank security warning — but the pressure is always the same.
If you feel rushed, isolated, or asked to pay before you receive anything: pause. Real institutions never need you to act inside the next ten minutes.
Warning signs
If two or more of these show up at once, slow down.
- They contacted you first, out of the blue.
- There is urgency — pay today, act in the next hour, before it expires.
- You're asked to send money, share an OTP / security code, or send a photo of your ID.
- You're asked to install AnyDesk, TeamViewer, Quick Assist, or any 'support' app.
- You're told to keep it private from your family or friends.
- You're promised money you didn't apply for — a prize, refund, inheritance, profit, or job.
- Payment is pushed toward methods you can't reverse: bank transfer, gift cards, or crypto.
What to do now
Calm steps you can take in the next two minutes.
Don't
- Don't send money or share details based only on this call or message.
- Don't share OTP / security codes, passwords, PINs, or photos of your ID.
- Don't install AnyDesk, TeamViewer, or any remote-access app.
- Don't let them keep you on the line — you can hang up at any moment.
Do
- Verify by calling the company or bank directly using the number printed on your card or their official website.
- Ask one person you trust before you act — most scams collapse the moment a second person is involved.
- If money, codes, or details were already shared, call your bank now and report it.
One last reminder. We never say something is safe. We surface signs to help you pause and verify. If anything looks off, talk to one person you trust before sending money or sharing codes.
Related guides
Same playbook, different cover story.
Advance-fee scam
Asked to pay a fee to receive money? Don't pay.
No real institution will ever ask you to send money first to receive money later. This is one of the oldest and most reliable scams in the world.
Read the guideFake bank call
Fake bank call: real banks never ask for these.
Someone calls or messages saying your account is at risk and they need to 'protect' it. The moment they ask for a code, password, or to install an app — it stops being your bank.
Read the guideOTP / security code
Never share the code. Not with your bank, not with anyone.
The 6-digit code that just arrived on your phone is a key. Anyone who asks you for it — bank, courier, official, 'support agent' — is trying to open a door you'd never voluntarily open.
Read the guideNot sure yet? Check the message before you reply.
Paste what you received. We'll point out the signs and tell you what to verify — before you reply, click, or send anything.