SCAM LIBRARY · CATEGORY
Money & payment scams
Every one of these is built to move your money somewhere it can't come back from: gift cards, wire transfers, crypto, or a fake refund.
18 explainers in this category
The gift-card demand
Someone insists you pay a bill, fine, or fee with gift cards. It's always a scam.
How to spot it →The fake investment platform
Scammers pose as a legitimate investment company and pressure you to send money into a fake platform that promises unusually high returns.
How to spot it →The 'you've won' prize scam
You're told you've won a prize or lottery you never entered, and to claim it you must pay a fee or provide personal details.
How to spot it →The too-good job offer
A scammer poses as a recruiter or employer offering an unusually easy, high-paying job with minimal qualifications—the catch is they want money upfront or access to your bank details.
How to spot it →The mystery-shopper scam
A scammer poses as a company hiring people to evaluate stores or services, then pressures you to send your own money upfront or via wire transfer, promising quick repayment.
How to spot it →The fake charity appeal
Scammers pose as charitable organizations to collect donations that go into their own pockets instead of helping people in need.
How to spot it →The business-email invoice swap
Someone impersonates a trusted business contact and tricks you into sending money to the wrong account by changing payment details in an invoice or email.
How to spot it →The real-estate closing wire fraud
A scammer impersonates someone in your real-estate deal and tricks you into wiring money to the wrong account right before closing.
How to spot it →The 'free government grant'
Scammers falsely claim you qualify for free government money, then ask you to pay an upfront fee or share personal information to 'unlock' the grant.
How to spot it →The fake-check overpayment
Someone sends you a check for more than you're owed, then asks you to wire back the overage—but the check bounces later, leaving you responsible.
How to spot it →The celebrity crypto giveaway
Scammers impersonate celebrities or use fake social media accounts to promise free cryptocurrency or money if you send a small payment first—but the giveaway is never real.
How to spot it →The advance-fee loan
In an advance-fee loan scam, someone promises you quick access to money if you pay an upfront fee first — but the loan never arrives and your fee is gone.
How to spot it →The 'free vacation' scam
Scammers lure you with promises of a free or heavily discounted vacation, then pressure you to pay upfront fees or provide payment details to claim your 'prize.'
How to spot it →The crypto-recovery follow-up scam
Scammers contact people who've already lost money to crypto schemes, claiming they can recover those lost funds—but only if you pay a fee or send more cryptocurrency first.
How to spot it →The 'secret sister' gift exchange
The 'secret sister' gift exchange is a chain-message scam where you're asked to send money upfront, promised returns that never arrive.
How to spot it →The surprise-inheritance scam
Someone contacts you claiming you've inherited money or assets from a relative or stranger you've never heard of, and asks you to pay upfront fees or share personal details to claim it.
How to spot it →The 'accidental payment, send it back' scam
Someone sends you money by mistake, asks you to send it back quickly, but the payment wasn't real—and you end up out of pocket.
How to spot it →The predatory loan-app trap
Scammers pose as loan companies and use urgency and easy approval to trick you into paying upfront fees or sharing personal information.
How to spot it →