Type of scam
Money and Check Scams
These scams are about getting your money: strange ways to pay, prizes that cost money, investments that are too good to be true, and checks that bounce.
The one thing to remember
Gift cards, Bitcoin machines, wire transfers and cash pickups are how scammers get paid. Real businesses don't ask for them.
Which one sounds like what happened?
“Someone told me to buy gift cards and read them the numbers”
Pay With Gift Cards
“Someone told me to put cash in a Bitcoin machine”
Bitcoin Machine Scam
“Someone promised me big returns with no risk”
Too-Good-to-Be-True Investment
“I'm told I won a lottery or sweepstakes, but I have to pay a fee”
You Won a Prize Scam
“Someone is sending a courier to pick up cash or gold from my house”
Cash or Gold Pickup
“Someone sent me a check and asked me to send part of it back”
Fake Check Scam
“A stranger sent me money on Zelle or Venmo and wants it back”
“I Sent You Money by Mistake”
“Someone says they can get back the money I lost to a scam”
Fake Money Recovery Help
“Someone asked me to donate to a cause I've never heard of”
Fake Charity
“A debt collector says I'll be arrested if I don't pay today”
Fake Debt Collector
“Someone says I qualify for a free government grant”
Free Government Grant
“A lawyer overseas says a relative left me millions”
Surprise Inheritance
“A company promises to wipe out my debt or fix my credit for a fee”
Debt Relief and Credit Repair
“Someone offers to get my student loans forgiven for a fee”
Student Loan Forgiveness Scam
“An agent sold me cheap insurance and now I can't find my policy”
Fake Insurance Agent
Warning signs
- Being asked to pay with gift cards, a Bitcoin machine, a wire transfer or cash.
- Having to pay a fee to get a prize or your own money.
- A check for more than you expected, and a request to send some back.
- Promises of big profits with no risk.
Last checked: October 31, 2026