Unpaid-toll / E-ZPass texts
Is that unpaid-toll text a scam?
Almost certainly, yes. Toll agencies don't collect unpaid balances by text message with a payment link.
Read the guide →Scam guides
“Is this a scam?” — the answers, scam by scam.
Plain-English guides to the cons flooding phones and inboxes right now: how each one works, the red flags to check, and what to do next. And when a specific link has you second-guessing, paste it into the $2 Instant URL Check for a researched verdict.
USPS / FedEx delivery texts
Is that USPS or FedEx delivery text a scam?
If it arrived out of the blue with a link and asks for a fee or your address, yes — it's a smishing text, not a carrier.
Read the guide →Fake job-offer texts
Is that job-offer text a scam?
If a recruiter you never contacted is offering high pay for vague 'remote tasks' over text or WhatsApp, yes — it's a task scam.
Read the guide →Crypto DM / pig-butchering scams
Is that friendly crypto DM a scam?
If a stranger who contacted you first is steering you toward a trading platform, yes — this is the pattern of pig butchering, the most expensive scam category the FBI tracks.
Read the guide →Facebook Marketplace payment scams
Is that Marketplace buyer — or their payment — a scam?
If the money hasn't actually landed in your account, or you're being asked to pay something to receive a payment, you're the target — not the seller.
Read the guide →Grandparent / AI voice-clone calls
Is that emergency call from my grandchild a scam?
If the caller begs for money fast and swears you to secrecy, treat it as a scam — even if the voice sounds exactly like your grandchild. AI can clone a voice from seconds of audio.
Read the guide →Zelle & PayPal fake invoices
Is that Zelle or PayPal invoice a scam?
If you didn't buy anything, yes. The invoice exists to make you call the 'dispute' number or click the 'cancel' link — that's where the actual theft happens.
Read the guide →Amazon refund / suspension calls
Is that call from Amazon about my account a scam?
Yes. Amazon doesn't call you about suspicious orders, refunds, or account suspensions — impersonating Amazon is one of the most-reported scams the FTC tracks.
Read the guide →Crypto 'recovery agent' scams
Is that crypto recovery agent a scam?
Almost certainly. The FBI warns that 'recovery agents' who contact victims, guarantee results, or charge upfront fees are scammers — usually the same crews, harvesting the same victims twice.
Read the guide →Jury-duty / arrest-warrant calls
Is that jury-duty arrest-warrant call a scam?
Yes. No court or sheriff's office collects fines over the phone — and none accepts gift cards, wire transfers, or Bitcoin ATMs. The threat of arrest is the whole con.
Read the guide →