The original Catch the Bait field guide. Free to read, print and share.
The free field guideKnow the pattern.
Keep your footing.
How to spot phone, text and AI scams, and what to do next. Scammers use urgency, trust and familiar-looking messages to push people into acting. A few useful checks help you slow things down.
Four common tactics to watch for.
You may notice one, several or none of these. A warning sign is a reason to verify; counting them is not a complete test.
"You have to act now."
An urgent deadline makes it harder to think. A threat to close your account or an emergency request is a reason to pause and check, not permission to skip the check.
"Don’t tell anyone."
Pressure to keep a money or account request secret is a warning sign. Verify independently and involve someone you trust. At work, use the required approval process.
"This is your bank."
A familiar logo, job title or caller ID can be copied. Contact the organization using a number on your own card, statement or its official website.
"Buy gift cards."
A demand for gift-card codes is a strong scam warning. Wires and payment apps have legitimate uses, so verify the recipient and the specific request before paying. Be especially cautious of callers directing you to a cryptocurrency kiosk or sending a courier to collect cash.
You don't have to identify the exact scam before deciding to verify.
Six scams worth knowing.
Documented patterns people in Southwest Florida encounter. Illustrations, not reports about specific local incidents.
The screen that screams.
A warning fills the screen, sounds an alarm and tells you to call "support." The person on the phone asks for payment or remote access.
Don’t call a number in an unexpected warning or grant remote access. Use the device maker’s official support route or a technician you already trust. If someone connected, restarting doesn’t prove the device is safe. For a work device, tell your IT contact promptly.
"Grandma, it’s me."
Someone claiming to be family says they’re in trouble and need money urgently. Another caller may pretend to be a lawyer or official. AI can make a voice sound familiar.
End the call and contact the person on a trusted number. Check with another family member if needed. A family verification phrase helps, but it doesn’t replace an independent check before sending money.
The "Medicare update."
An unexpected caller asks for your Medicare number, financial details or payment to update a card or keep benefits.
End the call and contact Medicare yourself through Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE. Some legitimate Medicare-related calls do occur; verify the specific request.
The "safe account."
A caller says your money is at risk and tells you to move it into a "safe account." That destination may belong to the scammer.
Do not move money at an unexpected caller’s direction. Hang up and call your bank through a number on your card or statement, never the number or link the caller provides.
The long-distance sweetheart.
After weeks or months of friendly messages, someone you know only online needs money for an emergency, a trip or an investment.
An online-only relationship followed by a request for money is a serious warning sign. Pause, speak with someone you trust and check the story independently. Do not send money because of pressure or a promise.
The toll or delivery text.
"Your package is held." "Unpaid toll, pay $3.49 now." A small amount makes a fake payment page seem harmless. The goal is your card details or login.
Avoid the link in an unexpected text. Open the delivery company’s or toll agency’s official app or website yourself. If you entered details, use the steps below; paying a small amount doesn’t limit the harm.
Familiar doesn't always mean genuine.
AI makes impersonation more convincing. You still have a practical option: check the request outside the conversation.
Voice cloning
AI can imitate a familiar voice. You don’t have to judge the audio: end the call and contact the person through a trusted number.
Deepfake video
A convincing face or video is not proof of who is asking. Visual glitches and head-turn tests are not reliable checks. Verify sensitive requests through a separate trusted channel.
Polished phishing
Good spelling and personal details don’t prove a message is genuine. Judge the request, then open the service through your normal app or a site you independently trust.
Fake support chats
A search result or lookalike site may lead to a friendly "support" chat. Don’t give an unexpected contact passwords, codes, payment details or remote access. Find support through the company’s official route.
A private family phrase can help you pause on an emergency story. Keep it private, and still contact the person independently before sending money.
Four habits that help you check.
Keep them by the phone, near your desk or on the fridge.
Hang up. Call back on a number you trust.
Not the number they gave you. Not the one on the pop-up. Use the number on your own card or statement, an established contact, or the official website you opened yourself.
Treat gift-card payment demands as a warning.
A caller who demands gift-card codes to pay a bill, fine or fee is using a scam payment pattern. An urgent "boss" request to buy cards also needs an independent check.
Tell someone before money moves.
Another trusted person helps you slow down. For business payments or account access, follow your approval process as well as verifying the requester.
It's okay to end the conversation.
You may hang up mid-sentence. You can stop replying. You don't owe an unexpected caller your attention, access or an immediate decision.
Already acted? Speak up. Take the next step.
Being scammed is not a character flaw. Choose the steps that match what happened, and report promptly. At work, follow your organization's incident process.
If you sent money
Contact your bank or payment provider immediately using a trusted number. Ask whether the payment can be stopped or recalled. Recovery is not guaranteed. If gift cards were involved, contact the card issuer and keep the cards and receipts.
If you shared a password or code
Use the service’s official recovery route from a trusted device. Change the exposed password and any reused ones; review account access and recovery details. For a work account, tell your IT contact promptly.
If someone accessed your device
Disconnect it from the network and contact trusted technical support; at work, follow your IT team’s instructions. Don’t assume restarting removed the problem. Use another trusted device for sensitive account changes.
If personal information was exposed
Use IdentityTheft.gov for steps matched to the information involved. A clicked link alone doesn’t tell you everything; get help if you downloaded something or entered details.
Save messages, receipts and details. Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and internet crime at IC3.gov. Be cautious of anyone promising to recover lost money for an upfront fee. The full response order is here.
Sources, not scare stories.
This guide draws on consumer guidance from the FTC, FBI and Medicare. These agencies do not endorse or partner with Catch the Bait.
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