How to Spot Common Scams
A plain-English guide to the most common scams — phishing, smishing, tech-support, impersonation, social-media, and romance/grandchild scams — with the red flags to watch for and how to protect yourself.
Learn the warning signs →The 8 Persuasion Tactics
Almost every scam runs on the same handful of persuasion tactics — authority, urgency, fear, scarcity, social proof, reciprocity, commitment and liking. One page each, with real examples and the tell that gives it away.
Learn to name them →Scam Glossary
A plain-English dictionary of scam and fraud terms — phishing, pig butchering, BEC, smishing and more — each with a real example and the red flags to watch for.
Browse the glossary →Scam IQ Quiz
Can you tell a real message from a scam? Take the 15-question quiz, get your Scam IQ score, and see exactly where your blind spots are.
Test your Scam IQ →I've Been Scammed — What Now?
Answer a few quick questions and get an immediate, tailored action plan: what to do first, who to call, and how to limit the damage.
Get help now →Scam Alerts & Trends
A running feed of the scams making the rounds right now — what they look like, who they target, and how to avoid them. Updated regularly.
See current alerts →SMS Scam Checker
Got a text that feels off? Paste it in and get an instant risk check — the red flags found, the persuasion tactic behind each one, and what to do next. Nothing is uploaded; the check runs in your browser.
Check a suspicious text →Email Scam Checker
Not sure an email is legit? Paste it in for an instant risk check — the sender-address spoofing tells, the red flags found, the tactic behind each one, and what to do next. Nothing is uploaded; the check runs in your browser.
Check a suspicious email →Phishing Link Checker
Don't click it — check it. Paste a suspicious link and our servers follow it safely, through every redirect, to reveal where it really goes — flagging lookalike domains and brand-new scam sites along the way.
Check a suspicious link →Report a Scam
Got a scam text, email, or call? Tell us what they sent — anonymously, in about a minute. Reviewed reports are published to warn others, and they keep our practice scams matched to what scammers are really sending.
Report what you got →Protect Your Parents
A free, shareable guide to the scams aimed at older adults — the four-move scammer playbook, the three calls to warn them about today, and how to have the talk without talking down.
Read & share the guide →In-Depth Guides
Longer reads from the ScamDrill blog — playbooks for protecting elderly parents, keeping kids and teens safe online, and defending small businesses, plus AI-threat warnings and monthly scam-trend round-ups.
Read the guides →Reading about scams isn't the same as surviving one.
ScamDrill sends safe, realistic practice scams to your inbox so you build real instincts before a real scammer tests them. Free for individuals.
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