Scam dictionary
Scam jargon explained in plain English. Each term gets a one-line definition; tap any entry for a fuller explanation, examples, and related scams. For the detailed reference, see the full glossary.
A
- Account Takeover
- When a scammer gains control of your account, often using a stolen password and a tricked OTP.
- Advance-Fee Scam
- A scam that asks for an upfront payment to unlock a prize, job, loan, or larger sum that never arrives.
- AI voice scam
- A scam that uses AI to clone a familiar voice - a relative, boss, or official - to fake an emergency or payment order.
- Authorised Push Payment Fraud
- When you are tricked into sending money yourself to a scammer's account.
B
- Bank Impersonation
- Pretending to be your bank by text, call, or email to steal logins or move your money.
- Blackmail / Extortion Scam
- Threats to harm, expose, or embarrass you unless you pay.
- Business Email Compromise
- A targeted scam where criminals impersonate a colleague or supplier to redirect a payment.
C
- Chargeback scam
- A scam where a buyer pays, receives the goods, then reverses the payment (chargeback) to get both.
- Charity Scam
- Fake appeals that exploit generosity, often after disasters.
- Credential Theft
- Stealing usernames and passwords, usually through fake login pages.
- Crypto Airdrop Scam
- Fake 'free token' offers that lead to wallet-draining sites.
- Crypto professor scam
- An investment scam where a 'professor', mentor, or VIP group gives 'guaranteed' trading signals on a fake platform.
- Crypto Wallet Scam
- A scam that tries to get your wallet seed phrase or a 'verification' transfer to drain your crypto.
D
- Deepfake / AI Voice Scam
- Using AI to fake a voice, video, or image of someone you trust.
- Delivery Fee Scam
- A fake 'small fee' to release a parcel, capturing card details.
- Digital arrest
- A scam where fake police or officials keep a victim on a long video call, claiming they are under 'digital arrest' until they pay.
- Domain Spoofing
- Faking or imitating a trusted domain in links or email addresses.
E
- Escrow scam
- A scam using a fake 'secure escrow' service to take your payment while pretending to protect the deal.
- Evidence preservation
- Capturing and safely storing proof of a scam - screenshots, dates, amounts, references, and accounts involved.
F
- Fake airdrop
- A bogus crypto 'free token' giveaway used to lure you into connecting a wallet or paying a fee.
- Fake invoice
- A scam invoice or 'you were charged' notice designed to make you pay, call a fake number, or enter card details.
- Fake login page
- A page that imitates a real login screen to capture your username, password, and two-factor codes.
- Fake Payment Confirmation
- A trick where a 'screenshot' or message claims a payment was sent to make you release goods.
- Fake Recruiter
- A scammer posing as a recruiter to gather personal details or fees.
- Fake support scam
- A scam where someone impersonates official support for a bank, platform, or tech brand to gain access or payment.
- Fraud report
- The act of reporting a scam or fraud to your bank, payment provider, and the relevant authority.
G
- Gift Card Scam
- A scam that demands payment in gift cards, which are hard to trace and reverse.
I
- Identity theft
- When someone uses your personal details - name, ID, or financial data - to impersonate you or open accounts.
- Impersonation Scam
- Pretending to be a brand, official, friend, or family member to gain trust.
- Invoice Fraud
- Fake or altered invoices that redirect payments to a scammer.
J
- Job Scam
- Recruitment fraud using fake offers to collect fees, bank details, or 'task' deposits.
K
- KYC scam
- A scam where you're told to 'update your KYC' (know-your-customer details) or your account will be blocked.
L
- Look-alike Domain
- A web address made to resemble a real one, using small changes like swapped letters or extra words.
- Lottery / Prize Scam
- A claim that you won a prize or lottery you never entered, requiring a fee or details.
M
- Malicious attachment
- An email or message attachment that hides malware or a phishing link, often disguised as an invoice or document.
- Malware Attachment
- A file attached to a message that installs harmful software when opened.
- Malware link
- A link that installs harmful software or opens a credential-stealing page when tapped.
- Money Mule
- Someone who moves money for criminals, often unknowingly, which is illegal.
- Mule account
- A bank or crypto account used to move stolen money, often opened by a victim tricked into 'processing payments'.
O
- OTP Scam
- A scam that tries to get the one-time passcode that protects your account, so the scammer can log in or approve a payment.
- Overpayment Scam
- A 'buyer' overpays and asks you to refund the difference, then reverses the original payment.
P
- Payment redirection
- A scam where a fraudster changes the bank details on a real invoice or request so your payment goes to them.
- Phishing
- A scam where a message pretends to be from a trusted organisation to trick you into giving details or clicking a harmful link.
- Pig Butchering
- A long-running scam that builds a relationship or friendship before steering you into a fake investment.
- Pretexting
- Inventing a believable story or role to gain your trust and information.
Q
- QR Code Scam
- A scam that uses a QR code to send you to a fake payment or login page.
- Quishing
- Phishing that uses a QR code to send you to a fake or harmful page.
R
- Recovery Agent Scam
- A person claiming they can recover your lost money for an upfront fee.
- Recovery Scam
- A follow-up scam that targets previous victims by promising to recover lost money for an upfront fee.
- Remote Access Scam
- A scam where a fake 'support agent' gets you to install software so they can control your device.
- Rental / Deposit Scam
- Fake listings that take a deposit for a property that is not available.
- Romance Scam
- A scam that builds a fake romantic relationship to ask for money or help with 'emergencies'.
S
- Safe Account Scam
- A trick where a fake bank tells you to move money to a 'safe account' they control.
- Scam-as-a-service
- Ready-made scam kits, phishing pages, and drainer tools sold to other criminals, lowering the skill needed to scam.
- Seed phrase
- The secret recovery words that control a crypto wallet - anyone who has them controls all its funds.
- Seed Phrase Scam
- Any attempt to get your crypto wallet recovery words.
- Sextortion
- A threat to share private or intimate images unless you pay.
- Short link scam
- A scam that hides a malicious destination behind a shortened or redirect link.
- Shortened URL
- A link that hides its true destination behind a short redirect.
- SIM swap
- A scam where your phone number is moved to a scammer's SIM so they can intercept your calls and security codes.
- Smishing
- Phishing carried out by SMS or text message, often about deliveries, banks, or fines.
- Social Engineering
- Manipulating people through trust, fear, or urgency rather than hacking technology.
- Spoofing
- Faking a sender name, phone number, or email address so a message looks like it comes from someone you trust.
- Subscription Renewal Scam
- Fake 'your subscription is renewing' messages that harvest card details.
- Suspicious Link
- A link with traits common in scams: shorteners, look-alike domains, odd words, or insecure connections.
T
- Task Scam
- A 'job' that pays for simple tasks but then asks you to top up your own money to continue.
- Tech Support Scam
- Fake support warning of a virus or problem to gain access or payment.
- Ticket Resale Scam
- Fake or duplicate tickets sold through messages and social posts.
- Toll / Fine Scam
- Texts about unpaid tolls, parking, or congestion charges with a payment link.
- Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
- An extra security step beyond your password, such as a code or app approval.
U
- URL Query Token
- Long codes added to a link that can identify or track you, or tie a phishing page to you.
V
- Verification Code Scam
- Tricking you into sharing a login code, often to hijack a messaging account.
- Vishing
- Phishing carried out by voice call, where a caller pretends to be your bank, a company, or an authority.
W
- Wallet connect scam
- A scam where 'connecting' your wallet to a malicious site and signing a request approves draining your assets.
- Wallet drainer
- Malicious code or a signature request that empties a crypto wallet once you connect or approve it.