What is a scam? Know the types.

A comprehensive reference hub explaining the most common scam types — what each one is, how it works, and the red flags to watch for. Every guide includes a CTA to check any suspicious URL for $0.50.

The red flags that cut across every scam type

Nearly every scam you'll encounter is a variation on the categories above — the names, logos, and platforms change constantly, but the underlying playbook doesn't. Read back through them and the same handful of signals keep reappearing:

• ▸Unsolicited contact creating urgency — a text, call, or pop-up that demands you act "before it's too late."
• ▸A request to pay via an irreversible method: cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfer.
• ▸A domain or caller ID that's close-but-not-quite right (corkcicle-us.com, not corkcicle.com).
• ▸Pressure to act before you can verify independently — especially "keep this between us."
• ▸A request for information or access no legitimate party would need — a one-time passcode, remote access to your device, your SSN or bank login.

If two or three of these show up together on something asking for your money, personal information, or remote access to a device, treat it as a scam until proven otherwise. And if you only remember one thing: almost every scam ends with the same move — a link to click, a payment to make, or a code to read aloud. That's the moment to stop and verify. Copy the actual URL (not the brand name you assume it goes to) and check it free before you enter anything.

Got a suspicious URL? Check it now.

Paste any URL and get a 0–100 scam risk score, a plain-English verdict, all five red flags, and a 3-step action checklist. $0.50, one-time, no subscription.