scam type guide
social engineering scams.
tech support fraud. impersonation. manipulation.
Social engineering scams manipulate human psychology rather than exploiting technical vulnerabilities. Scammers impersonate authority figures, create false urgency, and exploit trust to trick people into sending money, sharing credentials, or granting access to their devices.
$2.7B.
lost to impersonation scams in 2024
98%.
of attacks use social engineering
$25,000.
average loss to tech support scams
94.5%.
suss. detection rate
red flags to watch for.
if you see any of these, suss it out before responding.
unexpected call from 'support'
Microsoft, Apple, your bank, or the IRS called YOU — real companies don't do that.
remote access request
They want you to install TeamViewer, AnyDesk, or share your screen. This gives them full control.
authority + urgency
Claims to be police, government, or your bank AND says you must act immediately.
verification code request
Asks you to read back a code you received — they're using it to access your account.
gift card payment
Any legitimate entity will never ask you to pay with gift cards. Ever.
caller ID spoofing
The number looks real because caller ID can be faked. Don't trust the number alone.
real examples suss. catches.
paste messages like these into suss. for instant analysis.
“This is Officer Johnson from the FBI. Your Social Security number has been compromised in a federal investigation. To avoid arrest, you need to verify your identity immediately.”
HIGH RISK — government impersonation scam
“Microsoft Security Alert: We've detected unusual activity on your computer. Call 1-888-555-0142 immediately to prevent data loss. Do not turn off your computer.”
HIGH RISK — tech support scam
real victim stories.
anonymized cases from actual social engineering scams reports.
A retiree received a call from 'Microsoft support' claiming his computer was hacked. They gained remote access and transferred $47K from his bank.
Microsoft will never call you. Hang up immediately.
A woman received a text from 'her bank' with a verification code. A caller posing as fraud prevention asked her to read the code — they used it to drain her account.
Never share verification codes with anyone, even if they claim to be your bank.
check it now.
paste a suspicious message below for instant AI analysis.
how to protect yourself.
follow these tips and use suss. to verify anything suspicious.
Hang up and call the company directly using the number on their official website.
Never give remote access to someone who contacted you first.
Government agencies don't call threatening arrest — they send letters.
Never share verification codes with anyone who contacts you.
If they ask for gift cards, it's a scam. 100% of the time.
Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
think you've seen a social engineering scam?.
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