Common scams to watch out for

Nearly one third of all fraud reports the Federal Trade Commission received in 2025 were imposter scams, and people lost $3.5 billion to them. Not because the stories are clever, but because they're familiar. Here are the ones that show up most often, and what each one looks like from your side.

Bank or Moov impersonation

How it works. You get a text or call warning about fraud on your account. The person sounds professional, may already know your name and the last four of your card, and offers to help you "secure" your money. Securing it means moving it to a new account, or confirming a code they just sent you.

Why it works. Everything about the interaction matches a real fraud alert, including the number it came from. Caller ID and text short codes are easy to fake, so the message can land in the same thread as genuine ones.

Red flags. They contacted you. They need a code. They want you to move money to keep it safe. They discourage you from hanging up.

What to do. Hang up. Open your banking app yourself, or reach Moov through this help center. Real fraud teams are happy to have you call back on a number you looked up.

One-time code phishing

How it works. Someone asks you to read back the six-digit code we just texted you. The pretext varies: they're verifying you, cancelling a charge, confirming you're a real person before a sale, proving you're not a bot on a dating app.

Why it works. The code arrives right when they say it will, which feels like proof they're legitimate. In reality they triggered it by trying to act as you.

Red flags. Any request for the code. There is no exception to this one.

What to do. Never share it. If a code shows up that you didn't ask for, someone is trying to get into something of yours. See Phone verification and one-time codes.

Fake request for payment

How it works. A request arrives for money you don't remember owing: a delivery fee, an overdue invoice, a shared bill from a name you half recognize. The note attached to the request does all the persuading.

Why it works. Anyone with your phone number can ask you for money, and a request looks identical whether it comes from a friend or a stranger until you read who sent it.

Red flags. You weren't expecting it. The sender's name is close to someone you know but not exact. The note reads like a bill rather than a person.

What to do. Decline it and block the sender. See Payment request scams.

The accidental payment and refund

How it works. Money arrives from a stranger. A message follows: wrong person, so sorry, please send it back. You send it back. Later the original payment is reversed as fraudulent, and you're out the amount twice.

Why it works. Returning money that isn't yours feels like basic decency, and the scammer leans on exactly that.

Red flags. Unexpected money from someone you don't know, followed by pressure to return it quickly, often to a different account or number than it came from.

What to do. Don't send anything back. Report it to us and let the original payment unwind on its own. If a friend really did pay you twice, you'll both still be there tomorrow.

Marketplace and "pay first"

How it works. You're buying concert tickets, a puppy, a game console, a car deposit. The seller wants payment up front, often with a reason for the rush: another buyer is interested, they're leaving town, the platform's checkout is broken.

Why it works. Real sellers do sometimes ask for a deposit, so the request isn't absurd on its face. The urgency does the rest.

Red flags. Payment before delivery, a price well under market, a seller who wants to leave the marketplace and text you instead, and refusal to meet or video call.

What to do. Treat a payment app like cash for a stranger, which is to say don't. Use a payment method with buyer protection for anything you can't collect in person.

Rental and deposit scams

How it works. A listing looks great and priced slightly low. The landlord can't show it in person, needs a deposit to "hold" it, and has a plausible reason for being out of the country. The photos were lifted from a real listing.

Why it works. Housing markets are competitive, and moving fast feels like the only way to win.

Red flags. No in-person viewing, a deposit before a signed lease, and a landlord who only communicates by text.

What to do. Never pay a deposit on a place you or someone you trust hasn't stood inside. Search the address and the photos before you send anything.

Romance scams

How it works. Someone meets you on an app or in a comment section, moves the conversation to text quickly, and builds a real relationship over weeks or months. The first money request is small and specific. It escalates.

Why it works. By the time money comes up, it isn't a stranger asking. It's someone you've talked to every day.

Red flags. They can never video call. Their circumstances always require money at the last moment. They discourage you from mentioning the relationship to family.

What to do. Say it out loud to one person who knows you. Isolation is the mechanism here, and describing the situation to a friend is usually enough to break it.

Prizes, jobs, and advance fees

How it works. You've won something, been hired, or qualified for a grant. There's just a processing fee, a training kit, or a tax payment first.

Why it works. The amount asked for is always small relative to what's promised, which makes it feel like a reasonable bet.

Red flags. Paying money to receive money. A job that pays before you've worked. An employer who sends you a check to deposit and forward.

What to do. Never pay to collect. Legitimate prizes and jobs don't work this way, and no exception you'll be offered is the real one.

Money flips and investment "coaches"

How it works. Send $200, get $2,000 back. Or a trading mentor shows you screenshots of returns and walks you through a platform where your balance climbs steadily until you try to withdraw it.

Why it works. The early stages sometimes pay out, which is the point. Small real returns buy much larger deposits.

Red flags. Guaranteed returns. A withdrawal that requires a fee first. Testimonials from accounts you can't verify.

What to do. Nobody multiplies your money for free. If you can't withdraw a small amount easily, the balance you're looking at isn't real.

Family emergency and "hi mom"

How it works. A text from a new number: it's your son, his phone broke, he needs help right now. Or a call where a voice that sounds like your grandchild is in trouble and begging you not to tell their parents.

Why it works. Panic and love are faster than verification, and voice cloning has made the audio convincing.

Red flags. A new number, a request for secrecy, and an urgent payment. Any two of those together is enough.

What to do. Call the person on the number you already have for them. Agree on a family code word now, before you need it.

Frequently asked questions