I find it shocking how many stories I read here about people falling for scams. What are your warning signs that something isn’t right? Here are mine:
If someone has a strong Indian or Middle Eastern accent but claims to be “Jeff Miller” or any typical American name.
If they ask you to buy gift cards for any reason.
If they create a sense of urgency, making it seem like you must act right away.
If they insist on staying on the phone while you do anything.
If it all seems too easy, like suddenly getting messages from a gorgeous girl who claims to have contacted you by mistake, and then they start asking for favors.
If they refuse to send anything to you by mail. If it were a government agency, they would send you something in writing and not demand money over the phone.
If you hear a lot of noise in the background, it’s probably a call center.
If they threaten you with things like losing your job or going to jail.
What other signs do you look for that make it clear something is a scam?
Since you posted here, expect to receive private messages from scammers claiming they know someone who can help you recover your lost money, but for a fee. We call these RECOVERY SCAMMERS, so avoid private advice. It’s safer to get advice in the comments here where the community can help watch out for you.
A reminder about the rules here: no sharing personal info like last names or phone numbers. Be nice to each other—no insults allowed. Posts asking for personal army help or trying to scam the scammers aren’t allowed either. You can report scammers or rule-breakers by clicking the “report” button. We check all reports. If you have questions about the rules, just reach out to the moderators.
Related to the “Jeff Miller” thing: when they have a first name that’s super common as a last name and vice versa. I see lots of fake job offers signed by people like “Smith John”.
Jonny said:
Related to the “Jeff Miller” thing: when they have a first name that’s super common as a last name and vice versa. I see lots of fake job offers signed by people like “Smith John”.
Fun fact: many Christian Indians have common English names as last names since they often have Biblical first names. So names like Mary Peter or Stephen John are valid.
The main issue is that people tend to trust others too easily. You should start with distrust. Even if your mom texts you, assume her WhatsApp is hacked until proven otherwise.
The word “kindly” can be a red flag. It’s strange to see it used this way, as native American English speakers don’t typically say it like that. Like, ‘Kindly read this post!’ or ‘Kindly upvote me!’
StellarSage said:
The word “kindly” can be a red flag. It’s strange to see it used this way, as native American English speakers don’t typically say it like that. Like, ‘Kindly read this post!’ or ‘Kindly upvote me!’
Some people do use “kindly” because they work with those who do. It’s similar to the phrase “do the needful;” which has been picked up by many in tech.
Using “kindly” could help identify someone pretending to be someone else, but it’s not a foolproof sign of a scam. Not everyone with an accent is trying to defraud you. If you’re trying to get a tech job, treating every use of “kindly” as suspicious will get you nowhere.
Barbara said: @FraudWatch1
If they’re not who they say they are, that’s a scam in my book. If your gut is telling you something is off, trust that feeling.
You took out the “more generally” part of my reply, which is crucial. While “kindly” might help spot someone misrepresenting themselves, it won’t help with scams where they don’t pretend to be American.
@FraudWatch1
You’re overthinking this. The ‘kindly’ thing doesn’t mean much to me. My IT coworkers use it a lot, and that alone isn’t a red flag. But if someone has a thick accent and is named Jeff Miller, that’s a red flag. If something feels off, trust your instincts.
The biggest red flag is that most scams, like fake toll fees or job offers, come from companies that the victim never contacted or gave permission to contact them. I prefer email for communication, and I use different aliases for different purposes, which makes it less likely for scammers to reach me.
People need to be proactive. As a business owner, I track my personal finances closely so I know who I’ve paid, who I owe, and who I do business with. If someone claims I owe taxes, I need the specific IRS form to check against my records. I don’t handle this over the phone, especially not with methods that aren’t tied to me like gift cards.
I have alerts set up for any money movements, so if I got a call about fraud, I’d already know about it.
If you’re buying or selling something online and suddenly it becomes really complicated. For example, I want to buy your couch from Facebook marketplace, but they say they’re out of the country and to send my bank info to their assistant for a mobile deposit. Or if you’re on eBay and they try to get you to go off-platform.
Someone on a dating app asked me to pay for their Uber after a few texts back and forth, even though they said they lived just a few minutes from work. They could have walked home. They blocked me after I said no.