Scams, fraud & credit — organized in one place.
This page is a practical toolbox: what to do right now, how to document what happened, where to report it, and how to protect your credit and identity going forward. We’re building ScamShield to keep the “paper trail” and next steps in one place — but these resources work even if you’re starting from scratch.
Quick actions (when something just happened).
If you were just scammed or you’re unsure what you clicked / sent, these are the steps that matter most.
- Stop contact with the scammer and do not send more money.
- Save proof: screenshots, receipts, emails, texts, wallet addresses, usernames, URLs.
- Secure accounts: change passwords, enable 2FA, sign out of all sessions.
- Call your bank/card: dispute, stop payment, freeze, new card number if needed.
- Check devices: run antivirus scan, remove suspicious apps/extensions.
Depending on what happened, official reporting can help build a trail, block future damage, and in some cases support investigations.
Tip: don’t just report — document. ScamShield is built to keep the proof, timeline, and next steps organized.
Scam & fraud education (what to watch for).
Most scams follow patterns. Knowing the “tells” cuts your risk fast.
Impersonation & urgency
“Government”, “bank”, “police”, “support” — plus urgency and threats. They want you rushed and scared.
Rule: stop, verify independently, never use the contact info they provide.
Payment red flags
Gift cards, crypto, wire transfers, “friends & family”, Zelle to strangers — these are scam favorites.
Rule: real businesses rarely demand irreversible payment methods.
Text + email traps
Unexpected links, “package delivery”, “account locked”, fake invoices, fake password resets.
Phishing basicsSocial media & marketplace scams
Fake rentals, fake tickets, fake sellers, “deposit to hold”, cloned profiles, payment off-platform.
Rule: keep it on-platform and verify identity before sending funds.
Job & income scams
“Pay to start”, fake checks, reshipping, “simple task” crypto schemes, too-good-to-be-true offers.
Rule: nobody legit needs you to move money through your account.
Package delivery scams
Fake delivery texts/emails that send you to a lookalike site asking for payment or personal info.
FCC guidanceCredit & identity protection (step-by-step).
Even if you’re not sure your identity was stolen, these steps are the foundation.
- Get your credit reports and review for unknown accounts/inquiries.
- Freeze your credit if you suspect identity exposure (strongest protection).
- Dispute inaccurate items and keep proof + timelines.
- Track hard inquiries — they often show early.
ScamShield is designed to keep everything organized: timeline, evidence, letters, status, and next steps. This is especially helpful when you’re disputing credit items or dealing with multiple agencies.
Planned Premium additions include data broker removal concierge and a VPN released soon after official launch.
Official resources & reporting hubs.
These are reputable starting points for reporting and guidance.
FTC: Report Fraud
Report scams and fraud. Helps build data that supports enforcement and investigations.
Open FTC ReportingIdentityTheft.gov
Official identity theft recovery steps, checklists, and documentation guidance.
Open Recovery PlanFBI IC3
Report cyber-enabled crime (fraud, account takeover, investment scams, crypto scams, etc.).
Open IC3CFPB Complaint Portal
File complaints about banks, credit reporting, collectors, and financial products.
Open CFPBDo Not Call Registry
Register your number and learn about illegal telemarketing tactics.
Open Do Not CallFTC Consumer Alerts (RSS)
Subscribe to FTC alerts for scams, fraud trends, and consumer protection advice.
FTC Consumer RSSWant “feeds” shown directly on this page (FTC/FBI/etc.)? We can do it, but many government sites block direct embedding. The robust approach is a server-side cached “feed proxy” endpoint.
Live updates: latest ScamShield alerts.
This pulls from ScamShield’s own alerts database so it’s fast and reliable (no third-party blocks). If you want, we can also add a second “External Alerts” panel later via a cached feed proxy.
If this never loads, the API endpoint may be blocked or returning an error.
Feed source: /api/alerts/feed.php?limit=6
Where this is heading.
Our goal is simple: fewer random articles, more actionable guidance you can actually follow. Short guides tied to specific problems, checklists, templates, and clean next steps.
- Problem-based guides (e.g., “fake invoice”, “package text”, “collector threat”).
- Printable checklists and simple workflows.
- Dispute templates and follow-up tracking.
As we hear from users and testers, we’ll expand this page with the topics that keep showing up. If you want something added (or want a “feed” from a source you trust), send it through Contact.
Request a Resource / TopicPremium roadmap includes concierge help (data broker removal) + VPN soon after launch.