Fraud & Scams
Scams change costumes constantly, but the machinery underneath barely changes: urgency, secrecy, and an unusual way to pay. Learn the machinery once and you'll recognize it in whatever costume shows up next. And if money is already gone — speed matters more than anything on this page.
The things that trip people up
Get these straight first — the rest of the guide reads clean once you have them.
The anatomy of nearly every scam
A manufactured emergency (act now), an isolation move (don't tell anyone), and a payment method that can't be reversed — gift cards, wire transfers, crypto, cash by courier. Any one of the three is a yellow flag; all three together is the whole machine.
Read the full answerIdentity theft is quieter than you'd think
It rarely announces itself. It shows up as an account you don't recognize, a bill for something you didn't buy, a denied application, or mail that stops arriving. The habit that catches it early: reading statements and credit reports like an inspector, not a skimmer.
Read the full answerThe people around you are targets too
Older adults and people who depend on others for money management are heavily targeted — often by someone they know. Checking in on a parent's or neighbor's financial life isn't nosy; it's maintenance.
Read the full answerImposter scam
Phishing
Spoofing
Wire transfer fraud
Elder financial exploitation
Fiduciary
Fraud alert
Security freeze
Foreclosure relief scam
When it acts up
What’s actually happening, and the fix.
Money is missing from your account or a transaction isn't yours
Report it to the bank immediately — your legal protections are strongest when you report fast, and weaken as weeks pass. Follow up in writing and keep copies. Fix →
You suspect someone you know is being exploited
Watch for sudden account changes, a new 'helper' controlling access, unpaid bills despite adequate income, or fear around money conversations. Adult protective services takes reports from concerned third parties. Fix →
A disaster just hit your area and offers are pouring in
Post-disaster zones attract fake contractors, fake inspectors, and fake charities. Verify licenses, never pay in full up front, and donate only to charities you can independently confirm. Fix →
Your rights
Protections most people don’t know they have — they come standard.
- Unauthorized electronic withdrawals from your bank account carry federal reimbursement protections — reporting quickly is what preserves them. Learn more
- Fraud alerts and security freezes are free at all three credit bureaus, and a freeze doesn't touch your existing accounts or your score. Learn more
- You can cut telemarketing contact by registering at the National Do Not Call Registry — legitimate companies must comply; the calls that keep coming have identified themselves as illegitimate. Learn more
- If the victim is an older adult or a person with a disability, adult protective services investigates — you don't need proof to make a report, only reasonable concern. Learn more
Report fraud to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov — that's the central intake, and your report powers investigations. Identity theft has its own recovery hub at IdentityTheft.gov. For elder exploitation, call your local adult protective services; if money moved through a bank, loop in the bank's fraud department the same day.
Fraud victims get added to lists and re-targeted — often by someone claiming they can recover the lost money for an upfront fee. No legitimate recovery service cold-calls victims or charges before results. If you've been scammed once, treat every unsolicited 'we can get it back' contact as the same scam wearing a new costume.
The jobs you’ll actually do
Step-by-step, in plain language.