Red flags library

Find the screen in front of you.

You do not need to know the scam name. Start with the situation, then use one guide for one red flag and one safer move.

Browse by category

  • Browser & Permission Red Flags 1 guide
  • Fake Support Popups 1 guide
  • Job & Remote Work Red Flags 1 guide
  • Login & Account Red Flags 1 guide
  • Payment & Invoice Red Flags 1 guide
  • Shopping & Consumer Red Flags 1 guide
  • Shopping Red Flags 1 guide
  • Text & Delivery Scams 1 guide
  • Workplace & Payment Red Flags 1 guide

Find your situation

Start with what happened.

These cards are written for stress moments: text, popup, money request, login page, payment change, family support, marketplace, or job offer.

I got a text I got a text

Small fee, deadline, delivery link, or strange sender pressure.

 I saw a popup I saw a popup

Scary warning, phone number, fake support, or browser alert.

 Someone asks for money Someone asks for money

Gift cards, urgent transfer, refund fee, or pressure to pay now.

 A login page appeared A login page appeared

Password request after a message, warning, or unfamiliar address.

 A payment route changed A payment route changed

New bank details, changed invoice, or payment outside the usual channel.

 A family member needs help A family member needs help

Help someone calmly without blame and check what was shared.

 A marketplace buyer wants to move off-platform A marketplace buyer wants to move off-platform

Keep the deal on trusted channels and do not follow pressure to pay or message elsewhere.

 A job offer asks me to pay first A job offer asks me to pay first

Treat deposits, equipment fees, or pay-to-get-paid tasks as high risk.

All guides

One screen. One red flag. One safer move.

Each guide links the short video moment to a calm checklist, recovery steps, tool relevance, and FAQ.

A hiring chat or onboarding message says you are selected, then asks for an equipment check fee, laptop kit payment, training fee, or setup charge.
Job & Remote Work Red Flags

Fake Equipment Check

A remote job can look real until it asks you to pay before you earn.

Red flag: The job asks you to pay through a message link before payroll, paperwork, or verified company channels are in place.

Safer move: Do not pay from the chat. Verify the company and recruiter through a channel you find yourself, and never send card details or transfer money to start a job.
A workplace chat or email where a boss or manager asks you to buy gift cards and send the codes quickly.
Workplace & Payment Red Flags

Boss Gift Cards

A message from your boss asking for gift cards can feel urgent — and that is the trap.

Red flag: The request combines urgency, secrecy, and gift card codes — especially if they say not to call or claim they are stuck in a meeting.

Safer move: Do not buy or send codes from the chat. Verify through a trusted work channel, a known phone number, or in person before spending anything.
A fake CAPTCHA page that asks you to click Allow on a browser notification popup before continuing.
Browser & Permission Red Flags

Fake CAPTCHA

A CAPTCHA should prove you are human — not ask for notification access.

Red flag: The page mixes a human-check with a notification permission request. A real CAPTCHA does not need permission to send alerts to your screen.

Safer move: Click Block, close the tab, and do not install anything from the page. If you already allowed it, remove the site from browser notification settings.
A phone or laptop showing a login form that came from a message link, with an odd or unfamiliar web address.
Login & Account Red Flags

Fake Login Page

A login page can look normal and still steal your password.

Red flag: The page asks for your password after a scary message, but the address bar is long, unfamiliar, misspelled, or not the site you normally use.

Safer move: Close the message link and open the real app or website yourself. If the alert is real, it will still appear after you sign in safely.
A shopping page with many similar five-star reviews and repeated phrases.
Shopping Red Flags

Fake Reviews

A wall of perfect reviews can make a risky shop feel safe.

Red flag: Many reviews sound copied, vague, or posted in a short time window.

Safer move: Read the newest low-star reviews, check for repeated wording, and search the shop name outside the shopping page before you buy.
A clean online shop page with a huge discount, countdown timer, and very little reliable store information.
Shopping & Consumer Red Flags

Fake Shop

A store can look polished and still be built only to take your payment.

Red flag: The price is too good, the timer pushes you to hurry, and the shop gives you no trustworthy way to verify who is behind it.

Safer move: Before paying, leave the shop page and check the store name, reviews, address, return policy, and contact details from independent sources.
A phone showing a delivery text with a small fee, a deadline, and a link.
Text & Delivery Scams

Delivery SMS Trap

This delivery text is designed to make you hurry.

Red flag: Pressure, a payment link, and a short deadline.

Safer move: Don’t tap the SMS link. Open the delivery app or official website yourself.
An invoice email showing a new bank account or changed payment details.
Payment & Invoice Red Flags

Invoice Payment Change

A normal invoice with one quiet payment change can move money to the wrong place.

Red flag: New payment details appear inside an email, especially with urgency or secrecy.

Safer move: Confirm payment changes through a trusted contact method you already had, not the email thread.
A browser window showing a scary support warning and a phone number.
Fake Support Popups

Fake Support Popup

Real support does not hijack your screen and demand a phone call.

Red flag: A popup says your device is infected and tells you to call support now.

Safer move: Do not call the number. Close the tab or browser, then open support from the official app or website if needed.