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Scam checker
Pick what you want to check. We'll point you to a free tool and tell you what to do next. Scams catch careful people every day, so checking is never a silly thing to do.
Showing advice for
Already paid, or given your details? Do this first ↓
What do you want to check?
A text, email or messageCheck itClose
First: Do not click any link, reply or call a number in the message; check it first, then contact the organisation using details you find yourself.
United Kingdom
- Ask Silver scam checkerOpen ↗ Upload a screenshot of the text, email or message (hide personal details first). Free in a web browser; no account. Listed by Which? (May 2026). Run by Ask Silver, in partnership with Get Safe Online.
- Citizens Advice online scams helperOpen ↗ Answer a few questions about what happened. Free; gives advice on checking and next steps, not an automatic verdict. Run by Citizens Advice.
United States
- Norton GenieOpen ↗ Paste the message text or upload a screenshot, on the website (Genie.Norton.com) or in the phone app. Free; works in a web browser or the phone app. Ranked second in KSL test (Jan 2026). Run by Norton (Gen Digital Inc.).
- BBB Scam TrackerOpen ↗ Search the sender's email address, phone number, website or business name. Free; shows scams other people have reported in the US and Canada. Run by Better Business Bureau (BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust).
A website or online shopCheck itClose
First: Do not enter card details, passwords or personal information until you have checked the web address, and never follow a link from an unexpected message to get there.
United Kingdom
- Get Safe Online: Check a websiteOpen ↗ Type or paste the website address (not shortened links). Free; no account; gives a trust score in seconds. Run by Get Safe Online with Cifas and ScamAdviser.
- ScamAdviserOpen ↗ Type or paste the website address. Free; basic check needs no account. Listed by Which? (May 2026). Run by ScamAdviser.
United States
- ScamAdviserOpen ↗ Type or paste the website address. Free; basic check needs no account. Run by ScamAdviser.
- BBB Scam TrackerOpen ↗ Search the website address or business name. Free; shows scams other people have reported in the US and Canada. Run by Better Business Bureau (BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust).
A missed call or a number you don't recogniseCheck itClose
First: Do not call back or reply; if the caller claimed to be your bank or another organisation, ring them on a number you already trust.
United Kingdom
We have not found a free tool for this that we could confirm, so we list none. Follow the step above, and use the reporting routes below.
United States
- BBB Scam TrackerOpen ↗ Search the phone number. Free; shows scams other people have reported in the US and Canada. Run by Better Business Bureau (BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust).
A photo or profile that may be fakeCheck itClose
First: Treat any picture used to win your trust or ask for money as unproven until you have checked where else it appears online.
United Kingdom
- Google: About this imageOpen ↗ Find the image in Google Search, tap the information icon, choose to learn more. Free; shows when and where the image appeared; only available in some regions. Run by Google.
United States
- Google: About this imageOpen ↗ Find the image in Google Search, tap the information icon, choose to learn more. Free; shows when and where the image appeared; only available in some regions. Run by Google.
A phone callCheck itClose
First: Hang up, wait a few minutes, then ring the organisation yourself on a number you already trust; a genuine caller will never mind you checking.
No tool can check a call or a caller at the door, so answer six quick questions instead. Nothing you tap leaves this page.
Someone at the doorCheck itClose
First: Keep the door closed, do not agree to anything or hand over money or cards on the spot, and check who they are using contact details you find yourself.
No tool can check a call or a caller at the door, so answer six quick questions instead. Nothing you tap leaves this page.
No tool is certain. A convincing scam can pass every check, and a genuine message can look odd. Whatever a tool says, the safe step is always the same: contact the organisation yourself, on a number or web address you already trust, not one given in the message or by the caller.
Know someone who would use this?
Already paid, or given your details?
Do this straight away. The sooner your bank knows, the better the chance of stopping or recovering the money.
United Kingdom
- Tell your bank or payment provider straight away using contact details you trust, or call 159.
- Report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040; in Scotland call Police Scotland on 101.
- Forward the scam text to 7726 or the scam email to report@phishing.gov.uk so others are protected.
United States
- Contact whoever moved the money straight away (bank, card issuer, payment app, wire company, gift card issuer or crypto exchange) and ask them to reverse it.
- If you posted cash, call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service on 1-877-876-2455.
- If you gave a password, change it everywhere you use it and turn on two-factor authentication.
- If you gave your Social Security number, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.
- If you gave access to your device, update your security software, run a scan and change your passwords.
- Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Where to report it
Reporting takes a few minutes and helps stop the same scam reaching someone else.
United Kingdom
- Forward a scam text. Forward the text to 7726. It is free and goes to your mobile provider. Official page ↗
- Forward a scam email. Forward the email to report@phishing.gov.uk without clicking any links in it. Official page ↗
- Report fraud (England, Wales, Northern Ireland). Report online to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040. Official page ↗
- Report fraud (Scotland). Call Police Scotland on 101. Official page ↗
- Call your bank safely on 159. After an unexpected call about money, hang up and dial 159 to reach your own bank. Covers over 25 banks; call charges vary. Official page ↗
- Get advice from Citizens Advice. Use the online scams helper; it asks questions, then advises on checking and next steps. Official page ↗
United States
- Forward a scam text. Copy the message and forward it to 7726 (SPAM), then report it as junk in your messaging app. Official page ↗
- Forward a phishing email. Forward the email to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org. Official page ↗
- Report to the FTC. Report any scam or phishing attempt to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Official page ↗
- Report online crime to the FBI. File a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Official page ↗
- AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline. Call 877-908-3360, Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm ET. Free; anyone can call, no membership needed. Official page ↗
About this page
How we chose. We only list tools that are free for the basic check and need no account. We prefer official and independent bodies to products that are selling something. We earn nothing from any link on this page.
What we checked, and what we did not. On 6 October 2026 we opened each organisation's own page and confirmed who runs the tool, what it accepts and that it is free, and we confirmed every reporting route from an official page. We have not tested how accurate the tools are ourselves. Independent reviews we read: Which?: scam-busting tools to know about (May 2026); KSL: we tested four scam-detection apps (January 2026).
What we left out. McAfee Scam Detector: Not free on its own: McAfee says it is included in paid McAfee plans and needs the McAfee app, despite being the best performer in the KSL test. Bitdefender Scamio: Needs a Bitdefender account, and the KSL test (Jan 2026) found it least effective, often calling scams safe. Trend Micro ScamCheck: KSL test (Jan 2026) found it failed to flag phishing and wrongly flagged a genuine message; official page not fetched. Image Whisperer: Its page says free checks come with a free account; we only list tools that need no sign-up. Who Called Me: Recommended by Which?, but we could not open its site to confirm the details on the day we checked, so it is not listed yet.
The six questions for calls and doorstep visits use fixed rules drawn from official guidance: Stop! Think Fraud (UK Government): how to spot phone fraud; Stop! Think Fraud (UK Government): how to spot doorstep fraud; Federal Trade Commission: how to avoid a scam. They are a prompt to stop and think, not a verdict.
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.
Read more
- AI: the complete guide to using it well and not being fooled by it
- Voice-clone and 'family emergency' scams: how they work, and the safe word that beats them
- Deepfakes, fake photos and fake reviews: check the source, not the pixels
- How to spot a scam text, email or call: the patterns that give them away
- Money: the complete guide to getting clear and making it last
- Online banking safely: how your bank contacts you, what it never asks, and what to do if you've paid a scammer
For one story and one thing to try by email, join our email list. Our own guide, Tech Confident: the scam-proof guide, goes through the common scams step by step.