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How not to get scammed

Short rules that will save your money. A pyramid, phishing or a fake investment — every fraud has one aim: that you decide quickly, before you think it over.

12-minute read

A fraudster never says they are a fraudster. They are polite, convincing and always in a hurry. That is why “I know them and they would not cheat me” does not work. What works is rules that you follow every time.

The main rule

If something is too good, then it is not true.

A guaranteed, risk-free and high profit all at once does not exist. Not in a bank, not in crypto, not in a “private club”.

Why fraud works

A fraudster plays on emotions: greed (“quick profit”) and fear (“if you do not do it now, you will lose money”). In both cases the main weapon is time pressure. If you do not hurry, the scheme falls apart by itself.

Three tricks

  • Hurry: “today only”
  • Shame: “come on, everyone does this”
  • Fear: “your account will be blocked”

Three right answers

  • Stop: time is on your side
  • Check: another way, on your own
  • Ask: someone who is not involved in it

10 rules that will save your money

Remember these ten things. The rest is detail.

  1. Do not hurry

    “Today only”, “last places”, “closes in 5 minutes” — all of this is there so that you cannot think. A real opportunity will still be there tomorrow. Wait at least one day.

  2. “Free” does not exist

    Free money, free training, free crypto. They always give it in exchange for something — often your data or your money.

  3. Do not transfer money to a stranger

    Especially by instant transfer, by crypto or to someone else's card. Once the money is gone, getting it back is almost impossible.

  4. Only you should know your codes and passwords

    A bank never asks for an SMS code, PIN or password. Whoever asks for them is a fraudster.

  5. Check another way

    If you get an “urgent” message, call the number that you yourself know, not the one written in the message.

  6. Pressure is a suspicious sign

    If they do not let you ask questions, rush you, threaten you or make you feel ashamed, there is one answer: “no”.

  7. A “guaranteed profit” does not exist

    An investment is always a risk. Whoever promises you an exact percentage guaranteed is either lying or does not know what they are talking about.

  8. Ask someone who is not involved

    Someone who has already put money into this “opportunity” cannot judge it objectively. Ask someone who has nothing in it.

  9. Your data is money too

    Your ID number, date of birth, a photo of your card — these are not “small things”. This is exactly how accounts are stolen.

  10. Do not be ashamed to say no

    “No” is not rude. Fraudsters play exactly on people's politeness.

In one sentence: they ask for money — stop. They ask for a code — stop. They ask you to hurry — stop.

The 60-second check

Five questions that will help in any suspicious situation.

  1. Who is writing to me, and from where?Is the number, email or profile familiar? Did you contact them, or did they contact you? If they wrote first, be careful.
  2. What are they asking me for?Money, tapping a link, a code, a photo of a document, or installing an app? If any of these five — stop.
  3. What are they promising me?A high profit with no risk? A job with an upfront payment? If the promise is too good, it is a trap.
  4. Can I check it myself?Search for the name together with the words “fraud” or “scam”. Paste the link into Horkos and see how old the site is and whether it is on lists of fraudulent sites. If only they themselves vouch for their trustworthiness, that is not proof.
  5. Can I afford to lose this money?Imagine that the money will not come back. If that is unacceptable to you, the answer is “no” as well.

If you still cannot decide, the answer is “no”. You will forget a missed opportunity within a week; the consequences of fraud can follow you for years.

If you have already been scammed: the first 24 hours

At this point, speed means money.

It is not your fault. The fraudster is to blame. Shame is their weapon: the person stays silent, and the fraudster cheats others with the same trick.

  1. Call your bank and block the cardUse the number on the back of the card or the bank's app. Say that you are a victim of fraud and ask for the transfer to be stopped. Some transfers can still be stopped in the first hours.
  2. Change your passwordsFirst your email's, then your bank's and social media's. Email is the most important: through it the other accounts get “recovered”. Turn on two-factor authentication.
  3. Keep all the evidenceScreenshots of the chat, numbers, email addresses, receipts, the site's link. Do not delete anything.
  4. Go to the policeTake all the evidence with you. A report helps you and protects others too.
  5. Tell the people close to youTell them briefly what happened. Fraudsters call dozens of people with the same trick, including the people close to you.
  6. Be careful with “money recovery”Those who promise to get lost money back in exchange for an upfront payment are often the same fraudsters. More.

Checklist

You can print it (Ctrl+P) and give it to the people close to you.

Before you pay

  • I know who is writing to me, and I have checked
  • I do not tell anyone an SMS code, PIN or password
  • I do not tap a link until I have checked the address
  • I am not in a hurry — I have a day
  • Two-factor authentication is on for my email and bank
  • I transfer money only to people I know
  • I say “no” to a “guaranteed profit”
  • Under pressure, I say “no”

If you have already been scammed

  • I called the bank and blocked the card
  • I changed my passwords
  • I kept all the screenshots and receipts
  • I went to the police
  • I warned the people close to me

Test your knowledge

Six situations that can happen to anyone. Choose what you would do, and see whether it is right.

Start the test

Frequently asked questions

I am only putting in a small amount. What do I lose?

A lot. With a small deposit, the fraudster learns your card details, and then asks for a bigger amount “for the withdrawal”. And it is often exactly the person who put in “a little” who invites their friends.

How do I check a company in a few minutes?

Search for the company's name together with the words “fraud”, “scam” or “review”. See how old the site is: a site created only recently is suspicious. You can paste the link into Horkos — it checks the domain's age, the site's old copies and the lists of fraudulent sites at once.

The company is registered. Is that not enough?

No. Registration only means that the company was set up. It does not mean it is licensed to handle money. Check the licence in the regulator's register — a photo of a “certificate” posted on the site is not proof.

Which rule is the most important?

Do not hurry. Fraud works only when a person is in a hurry. You can always say: “I will think about it.” A real opportunity will not disappear in a day.

This article is for information only. It does not replace legal or financial advice.