Recognising Online Scams Before They Cost You
Scammers rely on speed and emotion. They want you to act before you think. If you learn their patterns, you gain the pause you need.
The pressure tactics
- Urgency: "Act within an hour or lose access."
- Fear: claims of a hacked account, unpaid taxes or a legal problem.
- Reward: prizes, refunds and surprise deliveries.
- Authority: pretending to be a bank, courier, government office or technical support.
Practical checks
- The sender. Display names are easy to fake. Look at the full address, and watch for one-letter changes in a domain.
- The link. Hover over it, or press and hold on a phone, to see where it really leads.
- The ask. Real organisations do not ask for your full password, one-time codes or to move money to a "safe account".
- The attachment. Be wary of unexpected zip files or documents telling you to enable macros.
Common scenes
Tech support pop-ups. A page says your computer is infected and shows a phone number. Close the browser; nothing is wrong with your computer. Legitimate companies do not display warnings this way.
Delivery texts. A message says a parcel is held and asks for a small fee. Go to the courier's official site or app instead.
Impersonation of friends. A message from a relative asks for urgent money. Phone them to confirm.
What to do instead
- Stop and take a breath.
- Contact the organisation through a number or website you already trust.
- Ask someone you trust to look at it.
If you slipped up
- Change the password of the affected account and any other account that shares it.
- Turn on two-step verification.
- Contact your bank straight away if you shared card details or sent money.
- Run a security scan.
- Report the scam to the impersonated organisation and to the relevant consumer authority in your country.
A good rule
When a message makes your heart race, that is a signal to slow down, not to click.
This guide is general information, not professional advice. Menus, features and prices change between versions and regions. See our disclaimer.