Not sure if it's a scam?
Let's find the safe trail together.
Someone called, texted, or emailed — and now your gut says wait a minute. That instinct is worth trusting. We'll help you look closer, in plain language, with no pressure and no judgment.
Paste in what they sent you.
Copy the text message, email, or a few words from the phone call — whatever you remember. We'll look for common warning signs and explain what we find, in plain words.
This is a helpful first look, not a guarantee. When money, passwords, or gift cards come up — always pause and check with someone you trust before doing anything.
Three steps. No technical know-how needed.
Tell us what happened
Paste the message, or call us and describe it out loud. There's no wrong way to explain it.
We look for warning signs
We check it against the tricks scammers use most often — urgency, secrecy, odd payment requests.
You get a plain answer
Green, amber, or red — with the reasons spelled out, so you can decide what feels right to you.
Scammers tend to leave the same footprints.
You don't need to memorize a list. If a message has even one of these, it's worth slowing down.
"You must act right now"
Real organizations give you time to think. Urgency and countdowns are pressure tactics, not policy.
Asking for gift cards or wire transfers
No government agency, bank, or utility company ever asks to be paid this way. Ever.
"Don't tell anyone, not even family"
Secrecy is a scammer's favorite tool. Trustworthy people don't ask you to hide things from those who love you.
A caller ID that seems almost right
Numbers and email addresses can be faked to look official. When in doubt, hang up and call the number on your card or bill.
I almost sent my grandson bail money over the phone. Reading it back in plain English made it obvious — the story didn't add up. I'm glad I paused.— Helen, age 78
A resource you can share, not another thing to police.
Nobody wants to feel watched over. This gives your parent a calm, independent way to check something themselves — and a plain-language reason to call you when it matters.
- No account or sign-up required to use the checker.
- Written in large, clear type — no jargon, no small print.
- Encourages a phone call to a real person, always.