Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down Which Things Scream 'This Is A Scam'

People Break Down Which Things Scream 'This Is A Scam'
Image by Robin Higgins from Pixabay

With so many scams and hoaxes on the rise, we have become wiser in identifying key factors that indicate a scam.


The pandemic has seen a rise in scam calls with fraudsters convincingly trying to make you transfer all your savings into another account before you lose all your hard-earned cash.
Some cons are downright threatening, with tricksters declaring you may go to jail if you don't make all your "late" payments towards a car you don't even own or have already paid off.
But now, many people can sniff a con from miles away.

Curious to hear from strangers online, Redditor Iapoties asked:

"What screams: 'This is a scam?'"

Do the following sound familiar?

Wrong Bank

"I had a bank text me on a local phone number that my bank card was going to expire. Not only was it a big red flag for me that it was a local number, but most of all that it was the wrong bank."

MitchLasagna

Cost Of A Job

"Any 'job offer' where they ask you to pay them for something."

NO_Cheeto_in_Chief

"The worst is when it's a good offer, you take it, THEN they are like oh btw in 2 weeks you have a mandatory training that costs $500 we just garnish it from your first 4-5 checks so nbd."

southpaw85

'Accidental' Pay Check

"Someone 'accidentally' paying you too much by cheque, and asks you to pay them, or others, back in cash."

"you know that cheque is gonna bounce."

CONCRETE_LUBRICATOR

Looking For A Sugar Baby

"Hello baby. Am Williams Johnson. Am a widow looking for a sugar baby. You will get an allowance of $500 every week: message me on Snapchat or kik. Snapchat: WilliamsJohn Kik: CharlesSmith2"

xokaytuhlin

Some fraudsters think they know you on a first-name basis. They're wrong.

Not Your 'Hun'

"'Hey hun!' from someone you haven't talked to since high school."

Sarcatsticthecat

Last Name Basis

"I have a great screener for this: I go by my last name socially. So if some random from my past messages me on Facebook with a 'hey FirstName! How are you? Got some exciting stuff to tell you about!' - I know immediately its a trap."

thegracefuldork

It's a shot in the dark, but most times, a scammer's target is way off.

A Family Member In Trouble

"Someone calling saying your child or grandchild is in jail in another state. Bullsh*t."

629mrsn

Not A Car Owner

"Getting a call saying that a car under my name or that I own may have some problems *I don't have a car*"

faos_soul

Wrong Device

"Your Iphone has a virus, click here to fix"

"ANDROID."

AllTheReservations

Downloading Server Software

"Free_Minecraft_No_Virus2021.exe"

Shwaika_Redd

During my first winter in New York City years ago, I bumped into a man whose glasses fell on the snow. When he picked it up, it was severely cracked and the frame was dented.

It. Fell. On. Snow.

This swindler proceeded to berate me for my carelessness and said he would let it slide if I gave him $300. Of course I told him I didn't have that kind of cash on me, to which he responded with: "I'll go to the ATM with you."

I countered, "give me your name, address, and phone number, and I'll be sure to cut you a check for the glasses."

He huffed and puffed and turned his back on me in search of a more gullible victim.

I had yet to see a Broadway show since arriving from LA, but I sure got a heck of a performance that day.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

King Charles and Donald Trump
Samir Hussein/WireImage

White House's 'Two Kings' Photo Of Trump And King Charles Gets Ripped For Hypocrisy Using Trump's Own Words

The White House was reminded of what President Donald Trump claimed just days ago after sharing an image on social media of Trump and King Charles III and declaring them "two kings."

Charles addressed a joint meeting of Congress on Tuesday, becoming only the second British monarch to do so after his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who spoke in 1991. His speech came as Trump has repeatedly criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over Britain’s refusal to back the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Keep ReadingShow less
Cami Clune sings O Canada as Buffalo Sabres fans join in after her microphone cuts out at KeyBank Center.
@mark_slapinski/X

New York Hockey Fans Step Up As Singer's Mic Goes Out During 'O Canada'—And Everyone Had The Same Thought

It only took a few seconds of silence for thousands of hockey fans to realize what was happening, and without hesitation, they stepped in. Fans at KeyBank Center took over during the singing of O Canada before Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Tuesday after anthem singer Cami Clune’s microphone cut out.

Once the crowd caught on, they didn’t miss a beat, singing in sync while filling in the lyrics together in a moment that quickly grew into something bigger than the game itself. So, what could have been an awkward pause turned into a full-arena singalong, with voices rising in sync across the building.

Keep ReadingShow less
Shannon Elizabeth
Christopher Polk/Variety/Getty Images

'American Pie' Star Shannon Elizabeth Reveals Staggering Amount She's Made In Her First Week Since Joining OnlyFans

Rumors have been circulating that American Pie and Scary Movie star Shannon Elizabeth started an OnlyFans account and that she's been making bank while doing it.

Early reports claimed that Elizabeth started the account on April 16, 2026, and that she brought in "more than seven figures" in the first week on the platform alone.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jamie Ding
Sony Pictures Television

'Jeopardy!' Champ Speaks Out To Rip ICE After His Impressive 31-Game Winning Streak Comes To An End

Jeopardy! champ Jamie Ding has had quite an impressive winning streak on the show, but it's his statements about current events that may have the greatest impact.

Ding had an extraordinary 31-day winning streak, the fifth-longest in the show's history.

Keep ReadingShow less
Mike Johnson
Newsmax

Mike Johnson Just Gave A Mind-Numbing Reason Why Voters Should Keep Republicans 'In Charge'—And The Delusion Is Real

During a Monday appearance on Newsmax, GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana told host Greta Van Susteren why voters need to keep Republicans in power, but the self-proclaimed Christian nationalist's reasoning went over like a lead balloon.

The discussion on Newsmax's The Record with Greta Van Susteren turned to the continuing partial government shutdown that began February 14, 2026—now the longest in history, surpassing 68 days.

Keep ReadingShow less