Scam & Phishing Guides

I Downloaded an Attachment From a Suspicious Email

Downloaded — or opened — an attachment you shouldn't have? Work through these steps in order. Most people are fine, but the next hour matters.

I Sent Money to a Scammer: What Should I Do?

Recovery depends almost entirely on how you paid and how fast you move. Follow the steps for your payment method below.

Should You Reply to a Suspicious Email?

It feels harmless to fire back a one-line reply. It is not. Here is what a scammer learns the moment you press send.

I Clicked a Phishing Link — What Should I Do?

Clicking a phishing link is usually recoverable — especially if you did not type anything on the page that opened. Work through these steps in order.

I Replied to a Scam Email — What Should I Do?

Replying to a scam email is not a disaster, but it does mark you as a live target. Here is how to shut the conversation down and protect what matters.

I Gave a Scammer My Information — What Should I Do?

What you should do depends on exactly what you handed over. Find your situation below and work through it in order — the first hour matters most.

Is This Email a Scam? How to Check

You have a suspicious email open right now. Here is the fastest reliable way to decide whether it is a scam, without clicking anything in it.

How to Check If an Email Is Legitimate

Verifying a legitimate email is a different job from spotting an obvious scam. Here is how to confirm a message really came from who it claims.

The 10 Most Common Email Scams of 2026 (And How to Spot Each One)

Scammers reuse the same ten plays because they keep working. Learn the one tell that breaks each of them.

7 Red Flags That an Email Is a Scam

You don't need to be technical. These seven signs catch the overwhelming majority of scam emails before you click.

How to Check If a Link Is Safe Before You Click

The link is where scams happen. Six ways to check one — from a two-second hover to asking a human.

Amazon Scam Emails: How to Spot Them

Fake order confirmations and Prime renewal notices are designed to make you call. Here is how to check any Amazon message in under a minute.

Apple ID Scam Emails: How to Spot Them

Fake Apple receipts and account-locked warnings are built to make you sign in on the wrong page. Here is how to check safely.

Microsoft Account Scam Emails: How to Spot Them

Fake Microsoft security alerts and 'your PC is infected' pop-ups both lead to the same place. Here is how to check what is real.

Geek Squad Scam Emails: How to Spot Them

A Geek Squad invoice for a subscription you never had is one of the most common scam emails in circulation. Here is what it is really after.

Norton Scam Emails: How to Spot Them

A Norton antivirus renewal charge you never approved is almost always a refund scam. Here is how to check it in a minute.

McAfee Scam Emails: How to Spot Them

McAfee impersonation comes in two flavours: a renewal invoice and an 'your protection has expired' warning. Both want the same thing.

5 Ways to Tell If an Email Is Really From Your Bank

Fake bank emails are the most dangerous scams because they target the money directly. These five checks settle it.

Is This Bank Email Real or Fake?

Bank alerts are the most imitated emails there are. Here is how to separate a real notice from a convincing fake in a couple of minutes.

Chase Scam Emails: How to Spot Them

Fake Chase alerts are among the most common bank phishing messages. Here is how to check one without clicking anything in it.

Bank of America Scam Emails: How to Spot Them

Fake Bank of America alerts lean on urgency and a lookalike sign-in page. Here is how to tell the difference safely.

Wells Fargo Scam Emails: How to Spot Them

Wells Fargo impersonation often pairs a text with a phone call. Here is how the combination works and how to shut it down.

PayPal Scam Emails: How to Spot Them

Some PayPal scam emails are forgeries. Others are genuine PayPal emails carrying a fraudulent invoice. Here is how to tell them apart.

Fake Invoice Emails: How to Spot Them

Invoice scams work because paying bills is normal. Here is how to check any unexpected invoice before money moves.

Fake Package Delivery Texts and Emails: How the Scam Works

'Your package couldn't be delivered.' It's the most-sent scam message in America — and it has a 30-second defense.

USPS Scam Texts and Emails: How to Spot Them

'Your package could not be delivered' is the most sent scam text there is. Here is why USPS never charges you that way.

UPS Scam Texts and Emails: How to Spot Them

Fake UPS notices ask for a customs charge or a redelivery fee. Here is how to check a parcel without touching the link.

FedEx Scam Texts and Emails: How to Spot Them

Fake FedEx messages promise a tracking update and end with a card form. Here is how to check a shipment the safe way.

The 3 Best Internet Safety Tools for Seniors

Most 'security tools' are built for IT departments. These three are built for real people — and each one works with skills seniors already have.

How to Protect Your Parents From Online Scams

You can't watch their inbox for them. But one afternoon of setup and one ongoing habit can close most of the risk.

The Top 10 Online Scams Targeting Seniors Right Now

Scammers target older adults deliberately, not accidentally. Here are the ten plays they run most — and the counter for each.

How to Talk to an Older Loved One About a Scam (Without Shame)

The first conversation after a scam determines whether there will be a second one. Here's how to get it right.

The 10 Best Tools to Protect Against Email Scams in 2026

Filters stop most scams, but not all of them. These ten tools cover the gap between 'your spam filter caught it' and 'you almost clicked.'

10 Things Scammers Say (Word for Word)

Scam scripts are recycled across thousands of criminals. Learn these ten exact phrases and you'll recognize the play in the first sentence.

The 10 Best Email Scam Prevention Tools in 2026

Spam filters catch most junk, but the emails that cost people money are the ones that get through. These ten tools close that gap, ranked by how much real protection they add.

Top 3 Best Email Scam Prevention Tools in 2026

Long security checklists rarely get finished. Here are the only three email scam prevention tools most people actually need, in the order to set them up.

Top 3 Best Scam Prevention Apps in 2026

Scam apps promise a lot and overlap heavily. These are the three worth keeping, covering suspicious emails, spam calls, and account security.

Top 10 Scam Prevention Apps in 2026

A ranked, plain-English look at the scam prevention apps that actually change outcomes, from message checking to call blocking to credit locks.