Topic
Money and banks: scams and fixes
By Brennan Decker. Last reviewed . Every fact links to its source.
The short answer
Gift cards, payment requests, and getting money back. Pick the one that matches what you got. Each page shows how to check it and what to do if you already responded.
Pages in Money and banks
- Gift card scamsOnly scammers ask you to pay with gift cards. What to do if you already did.
- How to tell if a shopping website is fakeBefore you buy that Black Friday deal, check the store. Here's how.
- Election and political scam textsFake voter, polling place, and donation texts before Election Day. How to check.
- Zelle scam: can I get my money back?Who to call first, what to say, and when banks have to pay you back.
- Fake bank fraud alert texts"Did you make this payment? Reply YES or NO." What to do instead of replying.
Other topics
- TextsScam texts about tolls, packages, elections, and more.
- CallsCalls from fake agencies, fake grandkids, and fake Medicare.
- EmailPhishing emails and how to check any message.
- ShoppingFake stores and fake delivery messages.
- Accounts and passwordsCodes, hacked accounts, and what to do after a click.
- Credit and identityCredit freezes, data breaches, and identity theft.
- Older adultsScams that often target older people and their families.
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