Is This a Scam?

Keep this one page handy. Most scams follow the same playbook: an unexpected message, a reason to hurry, and a request for money or personal information. When a suspicious text or email arrives, run it through the five questions below. If you answer "no" to even one, stop — it's almost certainly a scam. Print this sheet, stick it on the fridge or by a parent's phone, and use it as the shared family rule before anyone clicks, calls, or pays.

Why a checklist works. Scammers don't rely on you being careless — they rely on you being rushed. A written list gives you something to slow down with, and it gives older family members a script they can follow without needing to be tech experts. The five questions on the next card take about ten seconds to run, and any single "no" is your cue to stop and verify another way.

• Ask for your password, PIN, or full Social Security number by text.
• Demand payment by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency.
• Ask you to move money to a “safe” account.
• Require remote access to your computer.
• Pressure you to act before you have time to verify.

Hover over links on a computer without clicking. On a phone, don’t tap at all. Watch for shortened URLs, extra characters, and lookalike domains such as USPS-delivery.net instead of USPS.com.

Fake Package Delivery

There’s a problem with your delivery and a link to “fix” it. USPS does not send unsolicited texts with links or charge redelivery fees.

Phony Job Offers

Easy money, no experience needed, reply now. The “job” eventually asks for an equipment fee, training deposit, or money transfer.

Fake Fraud Alerts

“Did you make this purchase?” Replying confirms your number is active. Real banks never ask you to move money to a safe account.

Bogus Unpaid Tolls

A small balance and urgent payment link lead to a fake page that steals your card number. Log in to your toll account directly.

“Wrong Number” Texts

A friendly stranger keeps chatting and eventually pitches an investment. No stranger who texts you by mistake needs to become your friend. Block and delete.

1. Stop. Don’t click, call, or reply.
2. Screenshot it. Save evidence for reporting.
3. Verify independently. Type the company’s URL manually or find its real number yourself.
4. Delete and block.
5. Report it. Forward texts to 7726 (SPAM) and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
6. Warn your family. If you got it, they might too.

• Forward the message to 7726 (SPAM).
• Use “Report Junk” in your messaging app.
• File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• For USPS-related scams, email [email protected].
• Report online scams at IC3.gov — the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center.

The bottom line. Real companies give you time to think; scammers try to steal it. Whether the message claims to be from a bank, a delivery service, a toll agency, or a family member, the answer is the same: stop, verify through a number or website you looked up yourself, and never pay or share a code under pressure. When in doubt, use this checklist before you click, call, or reply — and teach someone you love to do the same.

• Disconnect from the internet if you downloaded anything.
• Change passwords immediately—start with email and banking.
• Contact your bank if you entered financial information.
• Freeze your credit at all three bureaus. It’s free.
• Run a malware scan on your device.
• File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and IdentityTheft.gov.

Keep this guide somewhere easy to find when a suspicious message arrives.

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