{
 "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
 "license_name": "Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)",
 "attribution": "Source: TapSafely (https://tapsafely.com/data)",
 "publisher": "TapSafely",
 "about": "https://tapsafely.com/data",
 "methodology": "https://tapsafely.com/methodology",
 "dataset": "scam-warning-signs",
 "scam_types": [
  {
   "scam_type": "delivery",
   "name": "Fake delivery texts and customs-fee scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/fake-delivery-texts",
   "summary": "Got a text saying your parcel is on hold until you pay a small fee? See how fake delivery texts work, the red flags, and what to do if you tapped.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "The fee is tiny",
     "why": "Real couriers rarely text you asking for a fee of a dollar, pound or euro or two. A small amount makes you less careful about typing in card details."
    },
    {
     "sign": "The link isn't the courier's real website",
     "why": "Look at the part just before the first single slash. royalmail.com is real; royalmail-redelivery.top or royalmail.parcel-help.com are not."
    },
    {
     "sign": "A deadline",
     "why": "“Within 12 hours or it will be returned” is designed to rush you."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Sent from a mobile number or a random email",
     "why": "Big couriers usually message from a named sender or their official app."
    },
    {
     "sign": "You weren't expecting anything from that company",
     "why": "Scammers pick the biggest brands and hope you are."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Don't tap the link. If you want to check, open the courier's official app or type their website address yourself and enter your tracking number from the shop's order email.",
    "Forward the text to your phone network's spam number (for example 7726 in the UK, US, Canada and New Zealand, 33700 in France, 8080 in Poland), then delete it. Find your country's number.",
    "Check it with TapSafely if you're unsure. We'll show you who really owns the link."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Call your bank using the number on the back of your card and tell them you entered your card details on a fake delivery site. They can block the card and send a new one.",
    "Expect a follow-up call pretending to be your bank. Your bank will never ask you to move money to a “safe account” or read out a one-time code.",
    "Watch your statements for small “test” payments, and report the scam to your national fraud reporting service."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "family",
   "name": "The “Hi Mum, this is my new number” scam",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/hi-mum-new-number-scam",
   "summary": "A message from a new number says it's your child and asks for money. How the Hi Mum scam works and how to check who you're really talking to.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "A new number and a reason not to call",
     "why": "Anyone who's really your child can take a 10-second call or answer a question only they'd know."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Asking you to delete the old number",
     "why": "This stops you from checking with the real person."
    },
    {
     "sign": "An urgent payment to someone else's account",
     "why": "Real family members rarely need money sent to a stranger's name today."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Pet names but no real details",
     "why": "They say “Mum” or “Dad” but avoid names, places or shared memories."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Stop and call your relative on the number you already have saved, even if the message says that phone is broken.",
    "Ask a question only they'd know, or ask for your family safe word. Set one up in two minutes.",
    "Report the number inside WhatsApp (open the chat → tap the name → Report) and block it."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Call your bank immediately. The faster you report, the better the chance of stopping or recovering the payment.",
    "Report it to the police or your national fraud reporting service, and keep screenshots of the chat.",
    "Warn other family members. Scammers sometimes try the same trick on grandparents or siblings."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "voice",
   "name": "AI voice-clone emergency calls",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/ai-voice-clone-calls",
   "summary": "Scammers can now copy a family member's voice with AI and call you with a fake emergency. Learn the signs and the simple family safe-word defence.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "Extreme urgency and emotion",
     "why": "Crying, panic and “there's no time” are there to stop you thinking."
    },
    {
     "sign": "“Don't tell anyone”",
     "why": "Secrecy keeps you away from the people who would spot the scam."
    },
    {
     "sign": "A third person handles the money",
     "why": "A lawyer, officer or friend who needs payment in an unusual way."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Payment by gift card, crypto, wire or courier cash collection",
     "why": "Real courts and police don't take bail this way."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Hang up. Call your relative back on their known number, or call someone who's with them.",
    "Ask for your family safe word. A cloned voice can't know it. Create one here.",
    "Never hand cash or cards to a courier, and never pay bail over the phone."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Contact your bank straight away and report the payment as fraud.",
    "Report to the police. If a courier collected cash, tell them the time and a description.",
    "Talk it through with family. These scams are designed to make good, caring people act fast. It's not your fault."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "bank",
   "name": "Bank impersonation and “safe account” scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/bank-safe-account-scam",
   "summary": "A caller from your bank's \"fraud team\" says your money is at risk. No bank ever asks you to move money to a safe account. Here's what to do.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "Moving money to a “safe account”",
     "why": "No genuine bank will ever ask you to do this. Ever."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Being told to lie to bank staff",
     "why": "“Don't tell the branch, they may be involved” is a script line."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Asking for one-time codes or your PIN",
     "why": "Your bank will never ask you to read these out."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Caller ID shows the bank's real number",
     "why": "Numbers can be spoofed. The display proves nothing."
    },
    {
     "sign": "A courier coming to collect your card",
     "why": "Banks don't collect cards from your door."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Hang up. Then call your bank using the number on the back of your card, ideally from a different phone, or wait five minutes, because some scammers keep the line open.",
    "Some countries have a safe shortcut to your bank. In the UK, for example, you can call 159.",
    "Never move money, share codes or install apps because a caller told you to."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Call your bank immediately and say you've been the victim of an authorised push payment (APP) scam. In some countries, including the UK, many victims are entitled to reimbursement.",
    "Report it to the police or your national fraud service. See where to report in your country.",
    "Change your online banking password and check for new payees or devices."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "government",
   "name": "Fake tax refunds, government payments and fines",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/fake-tax-refund-messages",
   "summary": "Messages about tax refunds, benefit payments or unpaid fines are common scams. Learn how tax offices really contact you and how to check safely.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "You're told to claim a refund by clicking a link",
     "why": "Tax offices generally don't send refund links by text or email."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Threats of arrest or immediate court action",
     "why": "Real authorities send letters and give you time and ways to query."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Payment by gift card, crypto or transfer to a personal account",
     "why": "No government takes these."
    },
    {
     "sign": "The website address isn't the official government domain",
     "why": "Look for the official domain (for example gov.uk, irs.gov, canada.ca, gov.in, gov.br, gob.mx) as the ending of the address."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Log in to your tax or government account by typing the official address yourself, or use the official app. Any real refund or debt will be shown there.",
    "Forward phishing emails to your government's reporting address if it has one (for example report@phishing.gov.uk in the UK). Find yours.",
    "If someone calls threatening arrest, hang up. Real officials won't mind you calling back through the official number."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Contact your bank about any payment or card details you entered.",
    "If you shared ID documents or your national insurance or social security number, contact the tax office and consider an identity-theft protection or credit monitoring service.",
    "Report it to the national fraud service."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "toll",
   "name": "“Unpaid toll” and parking-fine texts",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/unpaid-toll-parking-texts",
   "summary": "A text says you owe a small toll or parking fine and will face penalties unless you pay now. Here's how to tell fake toll texts from real notices.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "Sent from an international or random number",
     "why": "Toll agencies don't text from overseas mobile numbers."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Asks you to reply “Y” to activate a link",
     "why": "A trick to get around phone safety features."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Threatens licence suspension over a few dollars",
     "why": "Out-of-proportion threats are a script."
    },
    {
     "sign": "A strange web address",
     "why": "Cheap endings like .icu, .top or .xyz are very common in these campaigns."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Don't reply and don't tap. Check your account on the toll operator's official website or app, which you find yourself.",
    "Report the text to your mobile network (in many countries you can forward it to a short code such as 7726), then delete it."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Call your bank to block the card.",
    "If you entered your driving licence details, contact the licensing authority for advice and watch for identity misuse."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "investment",
   "name": "Crypto and investment scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/crypto-investment-scams",
   "summary": "Guaranteed returns, deepfake celebrity ads and platforms that won't let you withdraw. How investment scams work and how to check before you invest.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "Guaranteed or very high returns",
     "why": "No legitimate investment guarantees profits, let alone daily ones."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Celebrity endorsement in an ad",
     "why": "Assume it's fake. Celebrities regularly warn about this."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Pressure to deposit more, fast",
     "why": "“The window closes tonight.”"
    },
    {
     "sign": "Fees to withdraw your own money",
     "why": "This is the clearest sign of all."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Asked to install remote access software “to help you trade”",
     "why": "This gives them control of your device and your bank."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Check the company on your financial regulator's register and warning list, such as the SEC/CFTC in the US, the FCA in the UK, ASIC in Australia, SEBI in India or CVM in Brazil, before investing anything.",
    "Search the platform name plus “scam” or “reviews”, and check how old its website is with our link checker.",
    "Never let anyone else control your computer or open accounts on your behalf."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Stop sending money, including any “fees” to release your balance.",
    "Contact your bank or card provider and report to the police and your financial regulator.",
    "Be ready for recovery scams: people who promise to get your money back for a fee. Read how they work."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "job",
   "name": "Task-based job scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/task-job-scams",
   "summary": "A recruiter offers easy remote work rating products or liking videos. Then you have to pay to unlock your earnings. Learn the pattern and the red flags.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "A job you never applied for",
     "why": "Real recruiters rarely offer a job without an interview."
    },
    {
     "sign": "High pay for trivial tasks",
     "why": "Liking videos or rating products doesn't pay hundreds a day."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Moving to WhatsApp or Telegram",
     "why": "Scammers avoid platforms with protections."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Paying to work or to unlock earnings",
     "why": "A real employer never asks you to pay them."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Don't reply, and block the sender. Report the chat in the app.",
    "Look up the company yourself and contact it through its official website."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Stop depositing. The “negative balance” will never clear.",
    "Report to your bank or crypto exchange and to the police. Keep all chat history and wallet addresses.",
    "Watch for recovery scams offering to get your money back."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "romance",
   "name": "Romance scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/romance-scams",
   "summary": "An online partner who can't meet or video call, then needs money. Learn the warning signs of romance scams and how to talk to someone you're worried about.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "Can't video call or meet",
     "why": "Excuses every time: bad connection, camera broken, security rules."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Moves fast emotionally",
     "why": "Declarations of love within days or weeks."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Any request for money, gift cards or crypto",
     "why": "Including “investing together” or paying fees for them."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Stories about customs, inheritances or frozen accounts",
     "why": "Classic script elements."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Do a reverse image search of their photos. Stolen images often turn up under other names.",
    "Insist on a live video call before any further contact. Genuine people agree.",
    "Talk to a friend you trust. Scammers try to isolate you."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Stop sending money and report to your bank and the police.",
    "Report the profile to the dating site or app.",
    "Be kind to yourself. These criminals are professionals, and victims are often smart, generous people."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "marketplace",
   "name": "Marketplace buyer and seller scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/marketplace-seller-scams",
   "summary": "Fake payment links, overpayments and couriers that never come. How marketplace scams target both sellers and buyers, and how to trade safely.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "You need to enter card details to receive money",
     "why": "Receiving money never requires your card number or CVV."
    },
    {
     "sign": "The buyer doesn't want to see the item",
     "why": "Especially for expensive goods."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Payment screenshots or emails instead of money in your account",
     "why": "Check your actual balance."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Pressure to leave the platform's messaging and payments",
     "why": "You lose the platform's protection."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Prices that are too good",
     "why": "Especially phones, consoles, tickets and pets."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Keep all messages and payments inside the platform's official system.",
    "As a seller, only hand over items when money is visible in your real account. As a buyer, prefer in-person collection or protected payment methods.",
    "Check any link with TapSafely before entering details."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Report the user to the marketplace and contact your bank or payment provider. Card and protected payments can often be disputed.",
    "If you entered card details on a fake page, block your card immediately."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "techsupport",
   "name": "Tech support and remote-access scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/tech-support-scams",
   "summary": "Pop-ups saying your computer is infected, or calls from \"Microsoft\". How tech support scams work and what to do if someone accessed your device.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "A pop-up with a phone number",
     "why": "Real security warnings never ask you to call someone."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Unsolicited calls from big tech companies",
     "why": "Microsoft and Apple don't cold-call about viruses."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Being asked to install remote access software",
     "why": "Only do this with IT support you contacted yourself and trust."
    },
    {
     "sign": "A “refund” that went wrong",
     "why": "The overpayment refund story is a script."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Close the browser. If it won't close, restart the computer. Don't call the number.",
    "If someone calls you, hang up.",
    "For subscription emails, log in to the real account yourself to check."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Disconnect the device from the internet and uninstall any remote access app they asked you to install.",
    "From a different device, change your email and banking passwords and turn on two-step verification.",
    "Call your bank. Then run a reputable security scan or get help from a trusted local repair shop."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "account",
   "name": "Verification-code and account-takeover scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/verification-code-scams",
   "summary": "“I sent you a code by mistake, can you send it back?” How scammers steal WhatsApp, email and bank accounts with one-time codes, and how to lock yours down.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "Anyone asking for a code, even a friend",
     "why": "Codes are for you only. No exceptions."
    },
    {
     "sign": "A code arrives that you didn't request",
     "why": "Someone is trying to access your account."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Calls from “support” asking you to read a code to verify you",
     "why": "Real support never asks for this."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Never share codes. Ignore and delete unexpected ones.",
    "Turn on two-step verification: in WhatsApp, go to Settings → Account → Two-step verification and set a PIN.",
    "Use a password manager and unique passwords so one breach doesn't open everything."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Try to log back in straight away. The service will send you a new code.",
    "Change your password and enable two-step verification. Warn your contacts that messages from you may be fake.",
    "If a bank code was shared, call your bank now."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "shop",
   "name": "Fake online shops",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/fake-online-shops",
   "summary": "Huge discounts, countdown timers and a shop that never delivers. How to check whether an online store is real before you pay.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "The website is only weeks old",
     "why": "Our link check shows the domain's age. Brand-new shops with huge discounts are high risk."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Unrealistic discounts and countdown timers",
     "why": "Pressure plus bargain."
    },
    {
     "sign": "No real contact details",
     "why": "Just a form or a free email address, no company registration."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Payment only by bank transfer or crypto",
     "why": "Or card payments that fail and push you to another method."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Reviews only on the site itself",
     "why": "Check independent review sites."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Paste the shop's address into our link checker to see the domain's age and warning signs.",
    "Search the shop's name plus “reviews” or “scam”.",
    "Pay by credit card or another method with buyer protection, so you can ask for a chargeback if nothing arrives. (In the UK, for example, credit card purchases between £100 and £30,000 also have Section 75 protection.)"
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Contact your card provider and ask for a chargeback or claim.",
    "Report the site to your national fraud service and to the platform where you saw the ad."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "recovery",
   "name": "Fund-recovery scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/recovery-scams",
   "summary": "After a scam, people are often targeted again by fake lawyers, hackers or agencies promising to recover lost money for a fee. Here's how to recognise them.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "They contacted you first",
     "why": "Especially if they know about your loss."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Upfront fees",
     "why": "Genuine help from police or regulators is free."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Guarantees of recovery",
     "why": "No one can honestly guarantee this."
    },
    {
     "sign": "“Hackers” who can reverse crypto transactions",
     "why": "This isn't possible."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Only work with your bank, the police, your financial regulator and well-known, regulated law firms that you find yourself.",
    "Don't pay upfront recovery fees."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Report the recovery scam to the police too, as a separate crime.",
    "Tell your bank so it can watch your account."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "qr",
   "name": "QR code scams (“quishing”)",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/qr-code-scams",
   "summary": "Fake QR codes stuck on parking meters or sent in emails can lead to phishing sites. How to scan safely.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "A sticker placed over another code",
     "why": "Look for tampering."
    },
    {
     "sign": "An email asking you to scan a code to log in",
     "why": "A common trick to move you from a protected computer to your phone."
    },
    {
     "sign": "The preview address doesn't match the organisation",
     "why": "Most phone cameras show the link before opening. Read it."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Use the official app or type the official website address for parking and payments.",
    "Before opening a scanned link, read the address in the preview. If unsure, copy it into our link checker."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Contact your bank if you paid or entered card details.",
    "Change your password if you entered login details, and turn on two-step verification.",
    "Tell the car park operator or venue about the fake sticker."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "prize",
   "name": "Prize, lottery and giveaway scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/prize-and-giveaway-scams",
   "summary": "You've won a phone, a lottery or a supermarket reward. You just need to pay a small fee. How prize scams and fake giveaways work.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "You didn't enter",
     "why": "You can't win a competition you never joined."
    },
    {
     "sign": "A fee to claim",
     "why": "Real prizes don't require payment."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Expiring points or rewards",
     "why": "Check in the official app instead."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Ignore and delete. Check any real loyalty balance in the official app.",
    "Report the message to your carrier or email provider."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Call your bank to block the card, and look for recurring charges you didn't agree to."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "phishing",
   "name": "Phishing links and fake login pages",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/phishing-links",
   "summary": "Learn the one skill that stops most scams: reading who really owns a link. With examples of look-alike addresses and fake login pages.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "The brand appears, but not as the real domain",
     "why": "paypal.com.account-verify.info belongs to account-verify.info. Read from the right."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Look-alike spelling",
     "why": "paypa1, arnazon, micros0ft, or special characters that look like normal letters."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Extra words",
     "why": "secure-login-, -verify, -support, -refund."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Shortened links",
     "why": "bit.ly and similar hide the destination. Our checker follows them for you."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Brand-new domains",
     "why": "Days-old websites asking for logins are almost always phishing."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Don't log in from links in messages. Use the app, or type the address yourself.",
    "Paste unsure links into TapSafely. We show the real owner, age and where the link really goes.",
    "Use a password manager: it won't auto-fill your password on a fake domain, which is a great early warning."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Change the password on the real site, and anywhere else you used it.",
    "Turn on two-step verification and check account settings for new forwarding rules or devices.",
    "If you entered card details, call your bank."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "shop",
   "name": "Is this website legit? How to check in two minutes",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/is-this-website-legit",
   "summary": "Not sure a shop, bank page or booking site is real? Quick checks, from reading the web address to domain age, before you pay or log in.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "The domain doesn't match the brand",
     "why": "Read the name just before the first single slash. nike.com is Nike; nike-outlet-clearance.shop is not."
    },
    {
     "sign": "The website is only days or weeks old",
     "why": "Paste the address into our checker to see when it was registered. New shops with huge discounts are high risk."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Prices far below everyone else",
     "why": "Big brands rarely sell at 70 to 90 percent off, especially on new products."
    },
    {
     "sign": "No real company details",
     "why": "Look for a registered company name, a physical address and a way to contact a person. A form or a free email address alone is a warning sign."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Only strange payment options",
     "why": "Bank transfer, crypto, gift cards or payment apps without buyer protection are red flags for a shop."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Reviews exist only on the site itself",
     "why": "Search the site name with the word “reviews” and check independent review platforms."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Pressure tactics",
     "why": "Countdown timers, “only 2 left” banners and pop-ups that won't close."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Paste the address into the TapSafely checker. It shows who really owns the site, how old it is and where the link leads.",
    "Search for the site name plus “scam” or “reviews”, and look at results from independent sources.",
    "Go to well-known brands by typing their address yourself or using their official app, not through ads or links.",
    "Pay only with a credit card or a method that offers buyer protection, so you can ask for your money back.",
    "Never enter a password or one-time code on a page you reached from a message or ad."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Contact your card provider or payment app immediately and ask about a chargeback or dispute.",
    "If you entered a password, change it on the real site and turn on two-step verification.",
    "Report the website to the ad platform where you saw it, and to the official service in your country."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "investment",
   "name": "Deepfake video scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/deepfake-video-scams",
   "summary": "AI can fake a face and voice on video. How deepfake ads, fake video calls and fake bosses are used to steal money, and how to verify who you see.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "A famous person selling an investment or giveaway",
     "why": "Treat every celebrity investment ad as fake until proven otherwise."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Urgency and secrecy on a call",
     "why": "“Do this now and don't tell anyone” is a warning sign, even from someone who looks like your boss."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Odd video details",
     "why": "Blurry edges around the face, strange blinking, lips out of sync, or a call that keeps “breaking up” when you ask questions."
    },
    {
     "sign": "A new payment method or new bank details",
     "why": "Real companies don't change where money goes during a surprise call."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Refusal to switch channels",
     "why": "The person avoids calling you back on a known number or meeting in person."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Pause. Say you'll call back, then contact the person through a number or channel you already trust.",
    "Ask a question only the real person would know, or use a family or team code word. See our safe-word kit.",
    "For businesses: require a second person and a call-back check for every payment or bank-detail change.",
    "Report fake celebrity ads to the platform showing them."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Contact your bank or the exchange immediately and ask them to stop or recall the payment.",
    "Report to the police and keep screenshots, links and call details.",
    "Be wary of anyone offering to “recover” the money for a fee."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "marketplace",
   "name": "Rental and holiday booking scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/rental-scams",
   "summary": "A great flat at a low price, a landlord abroad and a deposit before viewing. How rental and holiday booking scams work and how to rent safely.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "You can't view the property",
     "why": "The owner is abroad, busy or “in hospital”, and keys will be posted after payment."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Payment before viewing or signing",
     "why": "Especially by bank transfer, money transfer, crypto or gift cards."
    },
    {
     "sign": "The price is well below similar places",
     "why": "A bargain in a high-demand area is a classic lure."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Pressure to pay today",
     "why": "“Lots of people are interested” is meant to rush you."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Paying outside the booking platform",
     "why": "Real hosts don't ask you to pay by bank transfer or through a link sent by message."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "View the property in person, or through a trusted person, before paying anything.",
    "Do a reverse image search of the listing photos to see if they appear elsewhere under another name or city.",
    "Check that the landlord or agent really owns or manages the property where your country allows it, and use registered agents.",
    "Keep bookings and payments inside the platform, and use payment methods with buyer protection."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Contact your bank or payment provider immediately and ask them to recall the transfer.",
    "Report the listing to the website or group where you found it.",
    "Report it to the police or the official fraud service in your country."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "unknown",
   "name": "Fake charity and disaster appeal scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/fake-charity-scams",
   "summary": "After disasters and wars, fake charities appear within hours. Learn the signs of a fake appeal and how to check a charity before you donate.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "Pressure to give immediately",
     "why": "Real charities welcome donations tomorrow too."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Payment by bank transfer to a person, crypto or gift cards",
     "why": "Registered charities offer secure, traceable ways to donate."
    },
    {
     "sign": "A name that sounds almost like a well-known charity",
     "why": "Small spelling changes and new web addresses are common."
    },
    {
     "sign": "No registration details",
     "why": "Genuine charities can usually be found on their country's official charity register."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Vague claims about where money goes",
     "why": "“100% goes directly to families” with no details of how."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Give through charities you already know, by typing their website address yourself.",
    "Check the charity on your country's official charity register where one exists.",
    "Check the donation link with the TapSafely checker before paying.",
    "On crowdfunding sites, look for a clear connection between the organiser and the people being helped."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Contact your bank or card provider and explain that you donated to a fake appeal.",
    "Report the page or post to the platform where you saw it.",
    "Report it to the official fraud service in your country."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "shop",
   "name": "Black Friday and Cyber Monday scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/black-friday-scams",
   "summary": "Fake shops, copycat ads and too-good deals peak around Black Friday. How the scams work, the warning signs, and how to pay so you can get your money back.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "The discount is far bigger than anyone else's",
     "why": "Compare the same product on the brand's own site and at big retailers. A price far below all of them, especially on a new or popular product, is the lure."
    },
    {
     "sign": "The web address is not the brand's own",
     "why": "Read the name just before the first single slash. dyson.co.uk is Dyson; dyson-outlet-deals.shop is not, however good it looks."
    },
    {
     "sign": "You found it through an ad or a message",
     "why": "Ads can be bought by anyone. Go to the retailer yourself by typing its address or using its app."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Countdown timers and \"only 3 left\"",
     "why": "Pressure is meant to stop you checking. A real sale will still be there in five minutes."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Payment only by bank transfer, gift card, payment app or crypto",
     "why": "The US Federal Trade Commission lists these as a sign of a scam seller. They are hard or impossible to reverse."
    },
    {
     "sign": "No real company behind it",
     "why": "No registered company name, no address, no phone number, and a returns policy copied from somewhere else."
    },
    {
     "sign": "The shop is only a few weeks old",
     "why": "Paste the address into our checker to see when the website was registered."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Paste the shop's address or the ad's link into the TapSafely checker. It shows who really owns the site and how new it is.",
    "Search the shop's name and web address with the words \"review\", \"complaint\" or \"scam\", and read independent reviews, not the ones on the site.",
    "Go to big brands by typing their address yourself or opening their app, rather than through an ad, text or email.",
    "Pay with a credit card, or a service such as PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Never pay a shop by bank transfer.",
    "Check out as a guest where you can, and don't let an unfamiliar shop save your card.",
    "Keep the order confirmation and a screenshot of the ad and the product page until the item arrives."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Call your card provider or bank now, using the number on your card, and ask about a chargeback or dispute. Credit cards give the strongest protection.",
    "If you paid through PayPal or a similar service, open a dispute there straight away. Time limits apply.",
    "If you created an account with a password you use elsewhere, change that password everywhere and turn on two-step verification.",
    "Report the ad to the platform where you saw it, and report the shop to the official fraud service in your country.",
    "Watch for follow-up messages offering to \"recover\" your money for a fee. That is a second scam."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "delivery",
   "name": "Christmas scams: the ones to warn your family about",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/christmas-scams",
   "summary": "Fake parcel texts, gift card demands, charity appeals and sold-out gifts that never arrive. The Christmas scams to watch for, and how to check each one.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "A delivery text with a small fee and a deadline",
     "why": "Couriers charge the sender, not you. A real customs charge comes with a tracking number you can check on the courier's own site or app."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Anyone asking to be paid in gift cards",
     "why": "The US Federal Trade Commission is clear: no real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them."
    },
    {
     "sign": "A sold-out gift available from a stranger",
     "why": "Consoles, toys and trainers that are sold out everywhere, offered on social media for payment by bank transfer."
    },
    {
     "sign": "An appeal that pulls at your heart and rushes you",
     "why": "Fake charities copy real appeals and ask you to give right now, by bank transfer, gift card or a link in a message."
    },
    {
     "sign": "An e-card, invoice or order confirmation you don't recognise",
     "why": "\"Your order has shipped\" or \"You've received a Christmas card\" with a link or an attachment is a common way to deliver phishing."
    },
    {
     "sign": "A family member on a new number, asking for help before Christmas",
     "why": "The \"Hi Mum\" scam spikes when people expect family to be busy, broke or travelling."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "Track parcels only through the retailer's order email or the courier's official app, which you open yourself.",
    "Paste any text, email or link you're unsure about into the TapSafely checker before you tap.",
    "Never pay for anything, or settle any bill, with gift card numbers. Give gift cards as gifts only, and keep the receipt.",
    "Give to charity through the charity's own website, typed in yourself, and check it on the official charity register in your country.",
    "If a family member messages from a new number, call their old number or ask a question only they would know.",
    "Pay for gifts with a credit card or a service with buyer protection, not bank transfer."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "If you entered card details on a link from a text or email, call your bank now using the number on your card and ask them to block the card.",
    "If you paid with gift cards, contact the company that issued them straight away and ask them to freeze the balance. Keep the cards and the receipt.",
    "If you paid a stranger by bank transfer, call your bank immediately. The sooner they know, the better the chance of stopping the payment.",
    "Report the message or website to the official fraud service in your country. Our what to do after a scam page lists them."
   ]
  },
  {
   "scam_type": "marketplace",
   "name": "Holiday booking scams",
   "guide": "https://tapsafely.com/scams/holiday-booking-scams",
   "summary": "Fake holiday deals on social media, hijacked hotel messages and flights that don't exist. How holiday booking scams work, and how to book and pay safely.",
   "warning_signs": [
    {
     "sign": "The price is far below similar places or trips",
     "why": "Compare with the same dates on well-known sites. A big gap is the lure."
    },
    {
     "sign": "You're asked to pay by bank transfer, gift card, payment app or crypto",
     "why": "The US Federal Trade Commission says not to pay anyone who insists on these, because the money is almost impossible to get back."
    },
    {
     "sign": "A message asks you to re-enter your card or pay again",
     "why": "Even inside the booking app. Never share card details through a link or a chat message; check the booking in the platform's own app instead."
    },
    {
     "sign": "A deadline to pay or lose the booking",
     "why": "\"Cancelled in 24 hours\" is designed to stop you checking with the platform first."
    },
    {
     "sign": "The deal is only on social media",
     "why": "No website you can check, no company details, and the \"agent\" moves the conversation to WhatsApp or DMs."
    },
    {
     "sign": "Protection logos you can't verify",
     "why": "Anyone can paste an ATOL, ABTA or ABTOT logo on a page. Check the membership number on the scheme's own website."
    },
    {
     "sign": "The host wants to deal outside the platform",
     "why": "Paying outside the platform means you lose its protection. Real hosts don't need to."
    }
   ],
   "do_now": [
    "If a message asks you to pay again or confirm your card, don't use the link. Open the booking platform's app or website yourself and check the booking there, or contact the platform's customer service.",
    "Paste the link or the website into the TapSafely checker to see who owns it and how new it is.",
    "Book through well-known platforms or travel companies, and keep all payments and messages inside the platform.",
    "Check a travel company's ATOL, ABTA or ABTOT membership on the scheme's own website, not on the company's page.",
    "Pay by credit card. Avoid bank transfers, and never pay by gift card or crypto.",
    "Search the property's address and photos online. The same photos listed elsewhere under another name are a warning sign."
   ],
   "if_you_paid": [
    "Call your bank or card provider now, using the number on your card. Ask them to stop the payment or start a chargeback.",
    "Tell the booking platform straight away through its app or website, not by replying to the message.",
    "If you entered your booking account password on a link, change it and turn on two-step verification.",
    "Report it to the official fraud service in your country. Our what to do after a scam page lists them.",
    "Check whether your travel insurance or a scheme like ATOL covers you, and keep every message and receipt."
   ]
  }
 ]
}