Free checker · runs in your browser · judgment-free
“Is this message a scam?”
Paste the suspicious text or email below. We’ll flag the classic warning signs and tell you what to do next. Everyone gets these — checking first is the smart move, not the paranoid one.
Scams hitting the Outer Banks right now
- 1Fake rental listings. A real OBX house, stolen photos, below-market rent, and a landlord who “can’t show it” but wants a deposit by Zelle. Never pay a deposit you can’t get back to someone you haven’t met, for a house you haven’t been inside.
- 2The “Geek Squad invoice.” An email says you were charged $399 for tech support and to call a number to cancel. There is no charge — the scam happens when you call. Check your actual card statement instead.
- 3Toll & “package held” texts. Tiny fee, urgent tone, link to a fake payment page. NC toll authorities and carriers don’t text payment links.
- 4The grandparent call. “It’s me, I’m in trouble, don’t tell mom, send gift cards.” AI voice cloning makes this convincing now — agree on a family code word this week.
Already clicked something? Don’t panic — call.
We handle it calmly and fast: passwords rotated, accounts checked, malware scanned, bank notified if needed. No lectures, ever. It happens to sharp people every day.
(252) 686-1451Good to know
The one rule that beats every scam
Never act through the message. Don’t tap its links, don’t call its numbers, don’t reply. If a message claims to be your bank, Amazon, or Spectrum — open the app or type the website yourself and check there. That single habit defeats nearly every scam, no matter how convincing.
If you already clicked or paid
Move fast, in this order: 1) If you entered a password anywhere, change that password now (and anywhere you reuse it). 2) If money moved, call your bank or card company immediately — reversals are time-sensitive. 3) Gift cards: call the card issuer with the numbers; report at reportfraud.ftc.gov. 4) Turn on two-factor auth on email and bank. And if you want a hand, call us — no lectures, ever.
Protect the grandparents this week
Two things: agree on a family code word for real emergencies (voice-cloning has made “it’s me, I’m in trouble” calls terrifyingly good), and set the rule that nobody buys gift cards over the phone, ever, for anyone. Those two sentences prevent the most devastating scams going.