How to spot a scam: the 4 signs that give it away
2 min read · 8 steps · Updated 3 October 2026
Nearly every scam shows the same four signs: someone pretends to be from an organisation you know, says there is a problem or a prize, pressures you to act at once, and tells you to pay by gift card, cryptocurrency, payment app or money transfer. If you notice them, stop and check using a number you look up yourself.
Scams change their costume all the time: a parcel that could not be delivered, a call from the bank, a message from a child with a new number. Underneath, they follow one pattern, which the US consumer protection agency FTC sums up in four signs. Learn the pattern and you will recognise the next version too.
This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Deadlines and rights differ from country to country, so check with your own bank and the consumer authority where you live.
Step by step
Sign 1: they pretend to be someone you know
The message or call claims to come from your bank, the tax office, the police, a delivery company, a big tech company or a relative. Names and logos are easy to copy, and the number shown on your phone can be faked.
Sign 2: there is a problem or a prize
You owe money, your account was hacked, a relative is in trouble, your computer has a virus. Or the opposite: you have won something, but must pay a fee first.
Sign 3: you must act right now
They want you to stay on the phone, threaten arrest or a blocked account, or say the offer ends today. The hurry has one purpose: to keep you from thinking and from asking anyone.
Sign 4: they tell you how to pay
Gift cards, cryptocurrency, a transfer through a money transfer service, or a payment app. These are chosen because the money is gone at once and hard to get back. No authority or real company demands payment in gift cards.
Stop and check yourself
Hang up or close the message. Find the phone number or website of the organisation yourself, from a letter, your card or its official site, and ask there. Never use the number or link in the message.
Do not give out data or codes
Do not pass on passwords, PINs, card numbers or the codes sent to your phone, whoever asks. Your bank never asks for them and never asks you to move money to a "safe account".
Talk to someone first
Tell a friend, relative or neighbour what is being asked of you before you pay or click. Saying it aloud is often enough to see through it.
Block and report
Block the number or sender. Report scam messages to your phone provider or email service with the report button, so fewer people receive them.
Good to know
Another common trick: someone sends you a cheque or a payment by mistake and asks you to send part of it back. The first payment later bounces and your refund is gone.
Good protection for your accounts: how to make strong passwords you can actually remember and what are passkeys.
Fewer scam calls: how to screen or silence unknown callers on an iPhone and how to block spam calls on Android.
If it has already happened: what to do if you were scammed.
In short: Pretends to be someone you know, a problem or a prize, pressure to act now, payment by gift card, crypto, app or transfer. Stop, look up the real number yourself, talk to someone first.
- FTC Consumer Advice: How To Avoid a Scam
Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.