How to Verify If Something Is a Scam

Scammers use urgency, authority, and official-looking documents to pressure people into acting before they have time to think. The most effective thing you can do is slow down and independently verify before you sign, pay, or share personal information.

Common Risk Signals to Watch For

  • !You are pressured to act immediately — today, within the hour, or before an offer disappears.
  • !Payment is requested by wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency instead of standard methods.
  • !The sender claims to represent a government agency, bank, or well-known company, but contact details don't match official sources.
  • !The document looks official but contains requests that feel unusual, such as keeping the matter secret from family or advisers.
  • !The amount of money involved is unusually large, or the offer sounds significantly better than anything comparable.

How to Independently Verify

  1. 1
    Slow down: Legitimate offers, government notices, and contracts do not expire in hours. Urgency is a tactic, not a fact.
  2. 2
    Search independently: Search the company name, phone number, or exact phrases from the document, plus the word "scam" or "complaint," to see what others have reported.
  3. 3
    Contact the organization directly: Use contact information from the organization's official website — not from the document or message you received.
  4. 4
    Check public records: Look up the company at the Better Business Bureau (bbb.org), your state Attorney General's office, or FINRA BrokerCheck (brokercheck.finra.org) for financial firms.
  5. 5
    Use VerifyBefore: Upload the document to VerifyBefore for a structured review of risk signals and verification gaps before you take any action.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common warning signs of a scam?

Common risk signals include: pressure to act immediately, requests for payment by wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency, contact from someone claiming to represent a government agency or well-known company, requests to keep the matter secret, and offers that seem unusually generous or too good to be true. No single signal confirms fraud, but multiple signals together are a strong reason to pause and verify independently.

Can a document look official and still be from a scammer?

Yes. Scammers regularly create documents that look like real contracts, invoices, government notices, or bank letters. Official-looking logos, letterhead, and formatting do not confirm a document is legitimate. Always verify the sender using contact information you find independently — not what is printed in the document.

What should I do if I think I've been contacted by a scammer?

Do not respond, click links, or send money. Tell someone you trust — a family member, friend, or adviser. Contact the organization directly using a phone number or address from their official website. You can also report the contact to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov or your state Attorney General's office.

Is it safe to call back a number that appeared in a suspicious document?

No. Phone numbers printed in suspicious documents may connect you directly to the scammer. Always look up the official phone number for an organization using an independent source, such as their verified website, a phone book, or a trusted directory.

How does VerifyBefore help me check a suspicious document?

VerifyBefore reviews uploaded documents for risk signals and verification gaps — such as pressure tactics, unusual payment requests, inconsistencies, and unverifiable claims. It does not prove fraud or verify document authenticity, but it gives you a structured second opinion to help you ask better questions before you sign, pay, or share personal information.

Check Your Document Before You Act

Upload any suspicious document, contract, invoice, or message. VerifyBefore identifies risk signals and verification gaps — free, no account required.

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