Safety Tools · Scam Checker
Could it be a scam? Let’s check together.
Received a suspicious message, phone call or offer? Answer a few simple questions and we'll help you spot warning signs and understand what to do next.
Free. No account needed.No private details requested.
Are you on a phone call right now and worried it might be a scam?
You don’t have to answer questions to get urgent help. It’s okay to stop the conversation.
How this check works and our trusted guidance
This tool uses fixed, source-checked questions and safety rules. It cannot inspect a device, verify a sender or confirm that something is safe. It never visits suspicious links.
Answers remain in temporary page memory, not a saved assessment. Reloading clears them. Only non-sensitive usage events, such as starting a check or opening a help resource, are counted; answers and warning-sign combinations are not sent in those events.
No AI is used for this assessment, and no integration credits are consumed by checking a suspected scam. Urgent guidance does not depend on an AI service.
Our guidance is based on official UK sources, with review dates shown below. Changes to guidance require an editorial review, rather than automatically replacing safety advice.
Email or text message
Warning signs we ask about
- The contact was unexpected.
- A password, security code or unexpected approval is being requested.
- You cannot independently verify the link or address.
- You are being pressured to act quickly.
- Independent verification is being discouraged.
How to verify independently
- End the conversation. Open the genuine app yourself or type a website address you already know or have independently verified. Do not use contact details, links or QR codes supplied by the person you are checking.
- Open the organisation’s genuine app or independently verified website. Check whether the same notice appears in your account.
- For a delivery, check the order through the retailer or courier you already know, not the message’s tracking link.
Official sources and review date
- National Cyber Security Centre: Report a scam email (opens in a new tab)
- Ofcom: What to do about scam calls, texts and messages (opens in a new tab)
- Ofcom: Recognise scam calls, texts and family impersonation (opens in a new tab)
Source information checked 27/10/2026. Service details can change; follow the organisation’s current official guidance.
Phone call or voicemail
Warning signs we ask about
- The contact was unexpected.
- You have been asked to move money to a supposedly safe account.
- A password, security code or unexpected approval is being requested.
- Software installation or remote access is being requested.
- You are being isolated from people who could help.
- You are being pressured to act quickly.
How to verify independently
- End the conversation. Open the genuine app yourself or type a website address you already know or have independently verified. Do not use contact details, links or QR codes supplied by the person you are checking.
- Hang up. Caller ID and a confident job title do not prove identity.
- Use another trusted phone if the call may still be connected. For a bank, use the official app, your genuine card or 159 where supported.
Official sources and review date
- Ofcom: What to do about scam calls, texts and messages (opens in a new tab)
- Stop Scams UK: 159 banking contact service (opens in a new tab)
- National Cyber Security Centre: Recover an infected device (opens in a new tab)
Source information checked 27/10/2026. Service details can change; follow the organisation’s current official guidance.
Website or online shop
Warning signs we ask about
- The offer looks unusually good.
- Important seller information is missing or inconsistent.
- Independent evidence about the shop is limited or concerning.
- An unusual or less protected payment method is requested.
- A password, security code or unexpected approval is being requested.
- You cannot independently verify the link or address.
- Independent verification is being discouraged.
How to verify independently
- End the conversation. Open the genuine app yourself or type a website address you already know or have independently verified. Do not use contact details, links or QR codes supplied by the person you are checking.
- Check the seller’s real contact details, returns policy and reviews on independent sites. A padlock or company registration alone does not prove a shop is genuine.
- Do not buy until you can independently verify the seller. If proceeding after checks, understand the payment provider’s protection terms.
Official sources and review date
- Citizens Advice: Check if something might be a scam (opens in a new tab)
- National Cyber Security Centre: If you have shared sensitive information (opens in a new tab)
Source information checked 27/10/2026. Service details can change; follow the organisation’s current official guidance.
Social media or online marketplace
Warning signs we ask about
- You are being asked to leave the marketplace’s normal process.
- An unusual or less protected payment method is requested.
- You are being pressured to act quickly.
- The profile or its behaviour raises concerns.
- You cannot independently verify the link or address.
- Independent verification is being discouraged.
How to verify independently
- End the conversation. Open the genuine app yourself or type a website address you already know or have independently verified. Do not use contact details, links or QR codes supplied by the person you are checking.
- Open the marketplace app yourself. Check the listing, messages and payment status inside it; a screenshot or email receipt can be fake.
- Keep payment and communication within the platform’s protected process and use its official reporting tools.
Official sources and review date
- Citizens Advice: Check if something might be a scam (opens in a new tab)
- Ofcom: Recognise scam calls, texts and family impersonation (opens in a new tab)
- National Cyber Security Centre: If you have shared sensitive information (opens in a new tab)
Source information checked 27/10/2026. Service details can change; follow the organisation’s current official guidance.
Bank transfer or payment request
Warning signs we ask about
- Payment details or the account name do not match expectations.
- You have been asked to move money to a supposedly safe account.
- An unusual or less protected payment method is requested.
- You are being pressured to act quickly.
- A password, security code or unexpected approval is being requested.
- You are being isolated from people who could help.
How to verify independently
- End the conversation. Open the genuine app yourself or type a website address you already know or have independently verified. Do not use contact details, links or QR codes supplied by the person you are checking.
- Do not transfer money while the request is uncertain. Verify invoices and changed bank details with a previously trusted contact, not a number on the new invoice.
- If a bank warns that the payee name does not match, stop and verify independently. Never move money to a caller’s supposedly safe account.
Official sources and review date
- Stop Scams UK: 159 banking contact service (opens in a new tab)
- Citizens Advice: Check if something might be a scam (opens in a new tab)
- National Cyber Security Centre: If you have shared sensitive information (opens in a new tab)
Source information checked 27/10/2026. Service details can change; follow the organisation’s current official guidance.
Investment or cryptocurrency opportunity
Warning signs we ask about
- The contact was unexpected.
- Unrealistic or guaranteed rewards are being promised.
- The firm or its permissions have not been independently verified.
- An unusual or less protected payment method is requested.
- You are being pressured to act quickly.
- More money is being demanded to release your money.
- Independent verification is being discouraged.
How to verify independently
- End the conversation. Open the genuine app yourself or type a website address you already know or have independently verified. Do not use contact details, links or QR codes supplied by the person you are checking.
- Use the FCA Firm Checker to check the firm’s permissions for the specific service. Contact the firm using details from the FCA’s tools, not those sent by the promoter.
- Check the FCA Warning List. Absence from that list is not proof of safety; genuine firms can be impersonated, and authorisation does not guarantee an investment or cryptoasset is protected.
Official sources and review date
- Financial Conduct Authority: FCA Firm Checker (opens in a new tab)
- Financial Conduct Authority: FCA Warning List (opens in a new tab)
- Ofcom: Recognise scam calls, texts and family impersonation (opens in a new tab)
Source information checked 27/10/2026. Service details can change; follow the organisation’s current official guidance.
Someone impersonating a friend or family member
Warning signs we ask about
- The person is using an unfamiliar contact method.
- A family emergency is being used to request urgent money.
- Identity is being judged mainly by a voice, image or video.
- An unusual or less protected payment method is requested.
- You are being isolated from people who could help.
- Independent verification is being discouraged.
How to verify independently
- End the conversation. Open the genuine app yourself or type a website address you already know or have independently verified. Do not use contact details, links or QR codes supplied by the person you are checking.
- Independently call your friend or family member on a number you already had for them. Do not use a new number supplied in the message.
- If you cannot reach them, contact another trusted family member. A familiar voice, image or video can be imitated using AI and is not proof of identity.
Official sources and review date
- Ofcom: Recognise scam calls, texts and family impersonation (opens in a new tab)
- UK government: Stop! Think Fraud (opens in a new tab)
Source information checked 27/10/2026. Service details can change; follow the organisation’s current official guidance.
Job offer, prize or unexpected opportunity
Warning signs we ask about
- The contact was unexpected.
- Payment is being requested before you receive something.
- Unrealistic or guaranteed rewards are being promised.
- A password, security code or unexpected approval is being requested.
- You are being pressured to act quickly.
- Independent verification is being discouraged.
How to verify independently
- End the conversation. Open the genuine app yourself or type a website address you already know or have independently verified. Do not use contact details, links or QR codes supplied by the person you are checking.
- Independently visit the employer or organiser’s genuine website and check the offer using its published contact details.
- Do not pay a fee to release a prize or promised earnings, or pass money through your account for a stranger.
Official sources and review date
- Citizens Advice: Check if something might be a scam (opens in a new tab)
- UK government: Stop! Think Fraud (opens in a new tab)
Source information checked 27/10/2026. Service details can change; follow the organisation’s current official guidance.
Something else
Warning signs we ask about
- The contact was unexpected.
- You are being pressured to act quickly.
- An unusual or less protected payment method is requested.
- A password, security code or unexpected approval is being requested.
- Software installation or remote access is being requested.
- You are being isolated from people who could help.
- Independent verification is being discouraged.
How to verify independently
- End the conversation. Open the genuine app yourself or type a website address you already know or have independently verified. Do not use contact details, links or QR codes supplied by the person you are checking.
- Ask a trusted person for a second opinion. You do not need to continue responding while you are unsure.
- Use the official support and reporting services below even if you cannot identify the type of suspected scam.
Official sources and review date
- Ofcom: What to do about scam calls, texts and messages (opens in a new tab)
- Citizens Advice: Check if something might be a scam (opens in a new tab)
- UK government: Stop! Think Fraud (opens in a new tab)
Source information checked 27/10/2026. Service details can change; follow the organisation’s current official guidance.