Stay Informed. Stay Ahead. Stay Safe.
Digital threats evolve faster than defenses. We cut through complexity by bringing together diverse industry experts to create strategic, proactive solutions against online scams.
Please note that Tech Against Scams does not help recover funds.
If someone has indicated to you that they are from the Tech Against Scams team and can help you recover funds, they are a scammer. Please report them here.
Scam education & awareness
Learn about different types of social engineering scams and their warning signs:
Romance scammers pose as someone deeply interested in a romantic relationship to gain your trust and eventually ask for money. They will typically try to move you off app as quickly as possible. They may spend weeks or even months building an emotional connection, often claiming to be professionals like military personnel, oil workers, or doctors. These scammers are skilled at manipulating emotions and will repeatedly find reasons to request money or financial support from you.
Red flags to watch for:
Requests to Move To An Encrypted Messaging App Quickly: Scammers often try to shift the conversation to encrypted messaging platforms, or messaging apps early in your conversation, claiming it’s more convenient. This is a warning sign, as it enables them to communicate without the app’s monitoring or safeguards.
Excessive Flattery and Rapid Relationship Progression: Romance scammers will give excessive compliments and flattery and indicate very early on that they have strong feelings for you.
Making Excuses to Avoid Meeting: Romance scammers always have a reason that they can’t meet in person—frequent travel, family emergencies, or work abroad. They may offer excuses that sound legitimate but continue indefinitely. Remember that phone calls and video chats are not a substitute for meeting in person as scammers can utilize deepfake technology to mask their faces and voices.
Requests for Financial Help: They might claim to need money for a sudden crisis, like a medical emergency, a travel problem, a business crisis, or a family emergency. They may make excuses as to why they can’t access funds and will often ask for small amounts first to build trust.
Requests for Secrecy: They may insist on keeping your relationship private or discourage you from discussing it with friends or family, claiming they want to “protect” your connection.
Investment scammers may reach out on social media, dating apps, or even through a “wrong-number” text. From there, they will move conversations off to encrypted messaging platforms. Once there, they’ll casually begin mentioning their financial success in cryptocurrency or foreign exchange (forex) trading, framing it as a normal part of their life. Their ultimate goal is to lure you into fake investment opportunities using sophisticated tactics to gain your trust.
Scammers create an illusion of legitimacy by introducing you to fake trading platforms that look like professional investment tools or funds. These platforms may show fabricated account balances and profits to convince you that the investment is real. Scammers often rely on pressure tactics tied to “ideal market conditions,” claiming you need to act quickly to capitalize on a rare opportunity. To make the scam appear genuine, they may even allow you to withdraw small amounts early on. However, this is a calculated move to get you to invest larger sums. Once you do, they’ll claim you need to pay additional taxes or fees to withdraw your funds. These demands are simply designed to steal more money, and you will never be able to recover your initial investment.
Red flags to watch for:
“Wrong Number” Texts: Scammers may contact you under the pretense of a wrong number and then continue the conversation after you’ve corrected them.
Requests to Move To An Encrypted Messaging App Quickly: Scammers often try to shift the conversation to encrypted messaging platforms, or messaging apps early in your conversation, claiming it’s more convenient. This is a warning sign, as it enables them to communicate without the app’s monitoring or safeguards.
Making Excuses to Avoid Meeting: Scammers always have a reason that they can’t meet in person—frequent travel, family commitments, or work abroad. They may offer excuses that sound legitimate but continue indefinitely. Remember that phone calls and video chats are not a substitute for meeting in person as scammers can utilize deepfake technology to mask their faces and voices.
Conversations Focus on Finances: Scammers may casually mention their success in cryptocurrency or forex trading, often bringing it up as part of their personal story to build credibility. They may ask you about your financial goals, which they’ll use later to convince you to invest.
Fake Proof of Success: Scammers may share screenshots of trading accounts, photos of luxury items, or fabricated market reports showing impressive profits. All of these are designed to make their story and the investment seem legitimate.
Professional-Looking Platforms: Scammers may direct you to a trading platform or app that appears polished and credible. You’ll be told to buy cryptocurrency from a legitimate exchange and then send the money from that exchange to the wallet on the fake trading platform. These platforms display fake account balances and returns, making it look like your investments are growing when they’re not.
Access to Accounts to Enable “Practice”: Scammers may give you access to what appears to be their personal trading account, allowing you to “practice trading.” These accounts are fabricated, and the profits you see are illusions designed to build your confidence and encourage real investments.
Pressure to Act Quickly: Scammers emphasize urgency, claiming the opportunity is time-sensitive or market conditions are perfect. Phrases like “You can’t miss out on this—it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance!” are common.
Initial Financial Earnings to Build Trust: Early on, you might be able to withdraw small amounts of money from your investment fund. This may make the investment appear genuine and profitable, but it is a ploy to gain your confidence and encourage you to invest larger amounts.
Taxes or Fees to Withdraw Funds: After you’ve invested more, they’ll demand additional payments for taxes, fees, or penalties to access your money. No matter how much you pay, you will never be able to withdraw your funds.
Discouraging Advice from Others: They may warn you against discussing the opportunity with friends, family, or financial advisors, framing the investment as private or exclusive.
Money mule scams are often a variant of a romance scam and may employ similar tactics to gain your trust. Money mule scammers use you to move or transfer stolen money, often making you an unwitting participant in illegal activity. They create elaborate stories to justify why they need your help and often frame the situation as a favor or a temporary inconvenience. These scammers may even make you feel like you’re helping someone in need, but engaging in these transactions could have serious legal consequences.
Red flags to watch for:
Requests to Move To An Encrypted Messaging App Quickly: Scammers often try to shift the conversation to encrypted messaging platforms, or messaging apps early in your conversation, claiming it’s more convenient. This is a warning sign, as it enables them to communicate without the app’s monitoring or safeguards.
Requests to Handle Money: Scammers might ask you to send or receive money on their behalf, claiming they’re having trouble accessing their own bank account or funds.
Complicated Stories About Access to Their Financial Accounts: They’ll often tell elaborate stories to justify their request, such as being stuck abroad, dealing with legal or business issues, or having a frozen bank account.
Encouragement to Borrow Funds: If you are unable to continue providing them with money, they may urge you to take out loans, borrow from family or friends, or even borrow against your property. They will promise to reimburse you, but this will never happen.
Secrecy and Urgency: Scammers may ask you not to tell anyone about the transactions and emphasize the need for immediate action to avoid penalties or other issues.
Unusual Payment Methods: They might request that you use wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency for these transactions, all of which are difficult to trace.
Sextortion scams are a form of online blackmail where scammers manipulate you into sharing explicit or intimate content, then threaten to distribute it unless their demands are met. These scammers often move conversations quickly to encrypted messaging platforms. They escalate the conversation to a sexual nature early on, sending fake intimate or explicit photos or videos of themselves to entice you into sharing similar content. Once they have potentially compromising material, they threaten to send it to your family, friends, or social media contacts unless you pay them. These scams can happen quickly and leave you feeling helpless - so remember there are resources available to help you.
Red flags to watch for:
Requests to Move To An Encrypted Messaging App Quickly: Scammers often try to shift the conversation to encrypted messaging platforms, or messaging apps early in your conversation, claiming it’s more convenient. This is a warning sign, as it enables them to communicate without the app’s monitoring or safeguards.
Impersonation of Law Enforcement: You may receive a call or message from someone claiming to be a police officer or other law enforcement official. They will allege that the person you exchanged intimate content with is underage and demand payment to “resolve the situation” and avoid legal action.
Claims of Suicidal Behavior: You may receive a call or message from someone claiming to be the individual’s parent. They will say their child is underage and has suffered emotional distress as a result of your exchange. The “parent” may say that the individual is suicidal or hospitalized, and ask you to pay hospital bills or associated medical or therapy bills.
Advance payments scams are scams in which someone tries to solicit money or payment from you prior to meeting in person.
Red flags to watch for:
Job scammers pose as legitimate employers or recruiters to deceive job seekers, often targeting those searching online for remote work or flexible opportunities. These scammers may conduct fake interviews, send official-looking offer letters, or claim to have found your resume on a job board. Their ultimate goal is to steal money or personal information by requesting upfront payments, overpayment schemes, or identity theft. Some may even use cryptocurrency to make transactions harder to trace.
Red flags to watch for:
Unsolicited Job Offers: Scammers often send job offers out of the blue (often via direct message), claiming they found your resume online or that you’re the “perfect fit” for a role without a real interview process. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Requests for Upfront Payments: A legitimate employer will never ask for payment for training, background checks, equipment, or application fees. Scammers may claim you need to “invest in yourself” or “secure your position” before starting work.
Overpayment Scams: Some scammers send fraudulent checks for “work expenses” or “equipment,” then ask you to send back the excess funds. Once the check bounces, you’re left responsible for the full amount.
Lack of Verifiable Company Information: Fake job postings often list vague company names, use free email domains (like Gmail or Yahoo), or have no online presence. Always research the company and verify recruiters’ identities.
Pressure to Act Quickly: Scammers may rush you into accepting a job without giving you time to ask questions, review a contract, or verify details. This urgency is meant to bypass your skepticism.
Requests for Cryptocurrency Payments: Some job scams now request payments in Bitcoin or other digital currencies, making it nearly impossible to recover stolen funds. No legitimate employer will ever ask for payment in crypto.
How to protect yourself:
- Research the company and recruiter before sharing personal details.
- Never pay for a job opportunity—real employers pay you.
- Be cautious of work-from-home jobs that promise high pay for minimal effort.
- If a company offers you a job without an interview, it’s likely a scam.
- Report suspicious job postings to job boards and consumer protection agencies.
Get support
01
Report To Law Enforcement. Scams should always be reported to law enforcement. Learn more about how to report by clicking here and selecting your country from the dropdown. From there, you’ll be directed to the right regional resources.
02
Scam Survival Toolkit
Scam Survival Toolkit. Provided by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for USA & Canada, this resource provides practical tools and guidance to help you recover from scams.
03
Romance Scam Recovery Group (US only)
Romance Scam Recovery Group (US only). This group provides both emotional and practical support, connecting scam survivors with others who have gone through similar experiences.