SCAM BASICS
The National Anti-Scam Centre recommends these three steps to protect yourself.
What are Stop, Check, and Protect?
The "Stop. Check. Protect." framework is the core advice for dealing with any potential scam.
You should never do this with a link in a suspicious text or email.
What is the click on it?
Explanation: This is one of the most repeated pieces of advice. Links can lead to fake websites designed to steal your info.
If a caller threatens or intimidates you, you should do this immediately.
What is hang up?
Explanation: This is the number one rule for dealing with suspicious phone calls. Just hang up.
A profile with very few friends, little activity, or one that contacts you out of the blue could be one of these.
What is a fake profile?
Explanation: Scammers create fake profiles to impersonate people, businesses, or romantic interests.
A scammer pretends to be from the police, your bank, or a government agency in this type of scam
What is an impersonation scam?
Explanation: This is one of the most common types where scammers exploit your trust in well-known organizations.
This is the ultimate goal of any scam, whether it's stealing your money or this.
What is personal information?
Explanation: Scammers want either your money directly, or your personal details (like
If a message claims to be from your bank and asks you to log in, you should do this instead.
What is contact the bank directly using a number from their official website?
Explanation: Never use contact details provided in a suspicious message. Always find the official contact info yourself.
A website offering popular items at prices that seem too good to be true is a classic sign of this.
What is a scam?
Explanation: The booklet warns that if a deal seems too good to be true, it usually is.
You should never send these kinds of pictures to someone you have only met online.
What are intimate pictures (or nudes)?
Explanation: Scammers can use these for blackmail in "sextortion" scams.
This scam promises big dividends with little or no risk, often using pressure tactics.
What is an investment scam?
Explanation: These scams sound sophisticated and prey on people's desire to grow their wealth quickly.
Scammers often use this tactic to stop you from thinking things through.
What is pressure to act quickly?
Explanation: Scammers create a false sense of urgency, threatening that something bad will happen or you'll miss out if you don't act NOW.
Scammers can make a text message appear in the same thread as real ones from an organization, making them harder to spot. This is known as this.
What is spoofing?
Explanation: Scammers "spoof" phone numbers and sender IDs to make their messages look legitimate.
A caller claiming to be from law enforcement who threatens you with immediate arrest is almost certainly one of these.
Who is a scammer?
Explanation: Real law enforcement will not call you to threaten immediate arrest over the phone for a payment.
A common romance scam tactic where the scammer creates an emergency and asks for this.
What is money?
Explanation: Once they've gained your trust, the "emergency" is the hook to get you to send money.
In this scam, a "buyer" offers to purchase something you're selling for a high price without seeing it.
What is a product or service scam?
Explanation: This is a common tactic to trick sellers, often as part of a fake payment overcharge scheme.
This type of crime is what a scam is officially classified as.
What is an economic crime?
Explanation: The booklet defines scams as "economic crimes run by criminals."
An email that is unexpected and includes one of these with an invitation to open it is a major red flag.
What is an attachment?
Explanation: Attachments can contain viruses or malware that steal your information.
Scammers often ask for payment using these uncommon methods, like gift cards or Bitcoin.
What are unusual or specific ways?
Explanation: These payment methods are hard to trace and nearly impossible to reverse, which is why scammers love them.
If you're offered a job without an interview or discussion of your experience, it is likely one of these.
What is a job scam?
Explanation: Legitimate employers will always want to interview and vet a candidate properly.
This scam uses the promise of love or friendship to manipulate you out of your money.
What is a romance scam?
Explanation: Scammers build a fake emotional connection over weeks or months to exploit their victims.
Paying for a product that never arrives is disappointing, but it's not necessarily this, which involves intentional deception.
What is a scam?
Explanation: Not all bad consumer experiences are scams. Scams involve deliberate deception to steal.
This security measure adds an extra layer of protection by requiring both your password and a code sent to your phone.
What is multi-factor authentication (or two-factor authentication)?
Explanation: The booklet specifically recommends using this for your email and other important accounts.
Before trusting a website, you should do this: search its name along with the word "scam" or these.
What are reviews?
Explanation: Don't trust reviews on the website itself. Look for independent reviews from other sources.
If you think you have fallen for scam what who do you file a report with.
File a police report and reach out to your bank or card holder.
what is something you can do to protect yourself
you can get a free credit report yearly and freeze your credit.