How Scams Work — Inside the Tactics of Every Major Fraud Type
Plain-English breakdowns of every scam pattern we’ve documented — how the scammer initiates contact, the psychological script they follow, the payment methods they prefer, and how to recognise the warning signs before sending money.
Categories Covered in This Pillar
88+ GUIDESSMS Phishing & Smishing
USPS, IRS, tollway, parcel-delivery, tax-refund, bank-fraud-warning SMS scams. Highest-volume scam category globally.
Browse SMS scams →Investment & Crypto Scams
Pig butchering, fake trading platforms, Telegram tips groups, crypto wallet drainers. Largest single-category losses worldwide.
Browse investment scams →Romance Scams
Dating apps, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp — long-game scams building emotional trust before financial extraction.
Browse romance scams →Impersonation Scams
Government imposters, bank-fraud-team callers, family-in-distress calls (Enkeltrick), tech-support scams.
Browse impersonation scams →Job & Employment Scams
Fake remote-work offers, “task-based earning” apps, training-fee scams. Fastest-growing category in the US (5× since 2020).
Browse job scams →Gift Card Scams
Amazon, Apple, Google Play, Steam gift-card demands. Almost always irrecoverable once codes are shared.
Browse gift card scams →Online Shopping & Marketplace
Fake listings on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Kleinanzeigen. Fake online shops with lookalike URLs. Goods never arrive.
Browse shopping scams →Identity Theft
SSN, Aadhaar, PAN, NI number, passport, ID-card fraud. New-account fraud, tax-refund fraud, medical-ID fraud.
Browse identity theft →Recovery Scams
Second-stage scams targeting fresh victims. “Fund recovery agents,” “scam recovery lawyers,” “crypto retrievers” — almost always fake.
Browse recovery scams →How to Use This Pillar
READER GUIDEDon’t know the scam name?
Start with our Scam Glossary — A-Z dictionary of every scam term we cover. Searchable, with plain-English definitions.
Open glossary →Suspicious situation?
Check our Red Flags & Patterns pillar — cross-cutting warning signs that appear across many scams.
See red flags →Already lost money?
Go to Emergency Guides — 24-48 hour recovery steps by scam type, payment method, and country.
Emergency guides →Scam you don’t see here?
Report it — your scam encounter may become the next guide. We document new tactics from reader reports.
Report a scam →Browse all 88+ Scam Anatomy guides
See every documented scam pattern. Each guide explains how the scam works, who it targets, the red flags to spot it, and what to do if you’ve already engaged.