Most scams share the same patterns.
Direct answer
Common scam red flags include urgency, pressure to keep it secret, requests for payment by gift card or crypto, unsolicited contact, offers that seem too good to be true and requests for passwords or one-time codes. If you see one, stop and verify through a trusted channel.
12 red flags
- Urgency or threats.
- Requests for secrecy.
- Payment by gift card, crypto or transfer.
- Unsolicited contact.
- Too-good-to-be-true offers.
- Asking for passwords or codes.
- Poor spelling or odd phrasing.
- Links that do not match the real site.
- A new contact claiming to be a friend or relative.
- Pressure to invest quickly.
- Fees to receive a prize or loan.
- Reluctance to meet or call on video.
A 20-second checklist
- Did I expect this?
- Who benefits if I act quickly?
- Can I verify it another way?
- Am I being asked to pay in an odd way?
Where Teyro fits
Teyro's How Scams and Financial Fraud Work course turns this into short lessons you can play in a few minutes a day. It has 50 lessons, and you can start free.
The bottom line
When in doubt, stop, check and ask someone you trust.
This is general education, not personal financial advice.
