tldr; If you are unsure, ask someone else! If it is a phone call, ask them for a reference and tell them you will call back. DO NOT

• Call back on the number they are calling you from! Get the number from the company’s website. Open google, search the company and find contact details on their website.

Overview

This post lists a few things that I look for when I expect someone is trying to scam me. Some of these things work just as well in an email and in person, while some only work in specific environments.

General

These techniques work in everywhere and are usually the quickest warning signs.

• Too good to be true
  • If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is
• Sense of urgency
  • Does the message require immediate action or does the message include a threat of something that will happen in the near future?
• Payment
  • Does the message request payment?
  • Is the payment in gift cards?
• Documents
  • Are you required to provide a lot of personal documents or information?
• Plea to humanity
  • Are they pulling at your heart strings with a sad/tragic story?

Computer

A lot of scams will involve the use of a computer, so look out for requests that involve these:

• Software

  • Are they telling you to install somewhere that will allow them to see your screen or control your computer?
  • Do they want you install programs on your phone/device from sources other than the app/play store?

  Do not install any remote tools, like TeamViewer, LogMeIn or

Phone call or SMS

If they call you, get a reference number and tell them you will call back Go to the website of the company (google it and make sure the URL is correct) and get the call centre number Call the call centre and use the reference number DO NOT CALL BACK ON THE NUMBER THEY GIVE YOU, as it is probably their number. No major company will EVER email/call/sms you to tell you that you have a problem on a device

Email

• Email address
  • Does the email address look weird?
  • Does the email address match the company that the email is supposedly from?
  • If the email domain contain a country, e.g. “sometech.co.uk”, does the country match the address of the company?
  • Does the name in From match up with the name of the person who sent the email?
  • Does the Display name of the email and the name in the email address match up?
• Spelling mistakes and bad grammar
  • Does the email have a lot of mistakes that you would not expect from a native speaker or professional company?
• Fonts
  • Does the message use fonts that do not match with normal emails?
• Screaming
  • Is any part of the message in all caps, bold, red, underlined?
• Links

  • Does the message contain links?

  • Does the destination URL match the company?

  • (Do not click) If you hover over the link, look at the destination URL

Do the names in the email address and body match up?

• Did you really think that you would win a lottery that you never took part in?

  • Would Warren Buffett really contact you, even though you have never communicated before?
  • Will a lawyer really give your money to someone else if you do not respond in 24 hours?

• No one ever requires payment in gift cards/vouchers!

  • Almost no business would demand that you pay in digital currency, like Bitcoin or Ethereum

• Is the person crying/in (urgent) need of help?

  • Does the person offer to repay you as soon as (something) changes
  • Are there children involved?

• Greed