How to spot phone, text and invoice scams
Most scams share three signs: sudden urgency, a demand to pay in an unusual way such as gift cards, wire transfers or digital currency, and a request for a code or password. A real bank, employer or government office will not threaten arrest by phone. Hang up, then call the organization back on a number you find yourself, never one the message gave you.
About 15 minutes to learnTake care: injury or damage if careless
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How to do it
- Slow down when any call, text or email pushes you to act right now.
- Treat any request to pay with gift cards, a wire transfer, a payment app or digital currency as a scam.
- Never share a one-time code, password or PIN, even with someone claiming to be your bank.
- Do not click links in texts about packages, tolls, refunds or account problems; go to the official site yourself.
- Hang up and call back on the number printed on your card, statement or the official site.
- Check invoices against orders you actually placed before paying.
- If you paid or shared details, call your bank at once, change passwords and report the scam to the national consumer fraud reporting site.
Stop and call a professional if
- You sent money or shared a code or password: call your bank's fraud line immediately.
- Someone opened accounts in your name: freeze your credit at all three bureaus and file an identity theft report.
- A caller threatens violence or you are in danger: call 911.
Common mistakes
- Trusting caller ID, which scammers fake.
- Reading a code aloud to a caller who says it is for verification.
- Paying a surprise invoice to stop a threat of collections.
- Staying silent out of embarrassment after being caught out.
Quick self-check
Three questions. Your last score is kept in this browser.
Teach this to someone
A one-page sheet for showing a friend, a roommate or a kid: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to spot phone, text and invoice scams
What to say
Most scams share three signs: sudden urgency, a demand to pay in an unusual way such as gift cards, wire transfers or digital currency, and a request for a code or password. A real bank, employer or government office will not threaten arrest by phone. Hang up, then call the organization back on a number you find yourself, never one the message gave you.
What to show, in order
- Slow down when any call, text or email pushes you to act right now.
- Treat any request to pay with gift cards, a wire transfer, a payment app or digital currency as a scam.
- Never share a one-time code, password or PIN, even with someone claiming to be your bank.
- Do not click links in texts about packages, tolls, refunds or account problems; go to the official site yourself.
- Hang up and call back on the number printed on your card, statement or the official site.
- Check invoices against orders you actually placed before paying.
- If you paid or shared details, call your bank at once, change passwords and report the scam to the national consumer fraud reporting site.
When to stop and call a professional
- You sent money or shared a code or password: call your bank's fraud line immediately.
- Someone opened accounts in your name: freeze your credit at all three bureaus and file an identity theft report.
- A caller threatens violence or you are in danger: call 911.
The check question
Ask: A caller says you owe back taxes and must pay with gift cards today. What is it?
Related skills
- What affects your credit score
- How filing a tax return works
- How to negotiate a bill or cancel a subscription
- Every skill in Money and Paperwork
Words on this page
Sources
- National consumer protection guidance on scams, current edition. Checked September 28, 2026.
Last reviewed . First published .