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Is this a scam? Ask before you send anything

⏱ 10 min3 steps

Scams are written to rush you, and this lesson slows things down. Claude reads the message and points at what looks wrong. Then you check with the company yourself, on a number you didn't get from the message. You need the message in front of you. Feeling a little silly for asking is normal. Scammers count on that. Claude can miss a , and it can call a real message fake, so the call is the check that counts.

scam A message or call that pretends to be someone it isn't, to get your money or your details. All words
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Steps

Step 1 of 30 done · about 10 min left

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  1. Ask Claude about the message

    Opening a link to see if it's real is how a lot of scams start. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says it's best not to click any links in a message like this, even if it looks like it's from a company you trust.

    Never paste a password, a code, or a full card or account number from the message. Claude doesn't need them to spot a scam. This asks Claude for the warning signs, using only what's in the message. Treat its answer as a second opinion.

    1. Don't tap the link, call the number or reply.
    2. Take a screenshot of the message. On an iPhone, press the side button and the volume up button at the same time. On an iPhone with a Home button, press the side button and the Home button. On an Android phone, press the power button and the volume down button at the same time, or hold the power button and tap Screenshot.
    3. Look at the screenshot. If it shows a password, a code, or a full card or account number, don't use it. Type the message out instead, and write [NUMBER] where the number was.
    4. Open the on your phone or laptop and start a new chat.
    5. Copy the prompt below.
    I got a message and I want a second opinion before I do anything. I'll attach a screenshot or paste the words, and tell you how it reached me: a text, an email, a phone call, social media or a dating app. Tell me whether it looks like a scam and why. Quote the parts of the message that worry you, like pressure to act fast, a request for gift cards, crypto or a wire transfer, or someone I've never met in person asking for money. Use only what's in the message. If you can't tell who really sent it, say so. Don't guess. Then tell me how to check it safely without using any phone number or link in the message. It reached me by: [text, email, phone call, social media or dating app]
    1. Paste it into the chat. Replace the part in square brackets with how the message reached you.
    2. Attach the screenshot. In the phone app, tap the button next to the message box for adding photos, then pick your photos. On a laptop, click the + button in the lower-left corner of the message box, then Add files or photos. If you typed the message out, paste it at the end instead.
    3. Send it.

    If Claude says it looks like a scam, don't reply and don't click anything.

    prompt What you type to Claude. A good one says what you want, how to work and what never to do. All wordsClaude app Claude on your phone or computer, where you chat with it by typing. claude.ai is the same thing in a web browser. All words

    You should see:

    A short answer on whether it looks like a scam, with the worrying parts quoted from the message, and ways to check it that don't use its number or link.

    That's not what I see
    It was a phone call, so there's nothing to copy.
    Write down what the caller said and what they asked for, as close as you can remember. Paste that into the chat instead of a screenshot.
    Claude says it looks fine, but something still feels off.
    Trust the feeling. Call the company or the person on a number you already have, like the one on the back of your card. Don't send anything until you've talked to them.

  2. Check with the company yourself

    Whatever Claude said, this is the check to trust. The FTC's advice is to contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real, not the one in the message.

    1. Find the company's number yourself: on the back of your card, on a past bill or statement, or in the company's own app.
    2. Call that number, or type the company's website address yourself.
    3. Ask them whether the message came from them.
    4. Don't send money or any details until they've told you it's real.
    That's not what I see
    The caller told me not to hang up.
    Hang up anyway. The FTC lists this as a sign of a scam, and says honest businesses will give you time to make a decision.
    The message says it's from someone I know.
    Scammers pretend to be people you know, too. Call that person on the number you already have for them, and ask.

  3. Report it

    If the company says the message didn't come from them, report it. The FTC asks people to report scam attempts, too, not only the ones that cost money.

    1. If it was a text, forward it to 7726 (that spells SPAM).
    2. If it was an email, forward it to reportphishing@apwg.org.
    3. Report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
    4. Block the sender on your phone or in your email.
    That's not what I see
    I already tapped the link, or gave them a password, a code or my Social Security number.
    If you gave a password or a code, change the password now in the company's own app or website, and turn on . If you gave your Social Security number, or a card or bank number, go to IdentityTheft.gov. Then report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov.two-step sign-in Signing in with your password plus a second thing, like a code on your phone, so a stolen password isn't enough. All words
    I've already sent money.
    Call your bank or card company now, on the number on your card. If you paid with a gift card or a wire transfer, call the company that issued it and ask for a refund. If you used a payment app, report the payment in the app and ask them to reverse it. If you paid in crypto, contact the exchange or ATM company right away. Then report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
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Real stories

  • Margaret Loke, a widow in her 70s. She had already lost about $987,000. ChatGPT told her it was a scam and to go to the police. She didn't send about $1 million more. Used ChatGPT. ABC7 San Francisco, December 6, 2025

  • A 77-year-old retiree in Bengaluru. He had already lost Rs 67.10 lakh. A check with ChatGPT showed it was fraud, and that stopped further losses. Used ChatGPT. Deccan Herald, January 6, 2026

  • Professor Staddon at Northeastern, in a study. The study tested the chatbots on 300 complaints sent to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. They did worse when a named company was involved. Used ChatGPT-4 and Gemini. Northeastern Global News, June 11, 2025

Where it fell short

  • F-Secure's researchers. They caught about 95% of scams that were fully described. They missed a gift-card scam framed as a chore, gave different answers on different runs, and raised about 1 in 5 false alarms. Used AI chatbots. F-Secure (security company research), August 13, 2026

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Your challenge

Next time a text or email asks you to pay, log in or act fast, paste it into Claude before you do anything. Then check it with the company on a number you already have.

Helpful extras

Last checked 2026-10-20

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