Is This Letter a Scam? Warning Signs to Look For
A letter can use a familiar logo, an official-sounding name and a believable story. Those details alone do not prove who sent it. Instead of reacting quickly, look for warning signs and check the claim through contact information you find independently.
Leer esta guía en españolPressure to act right now
Scammers often try to stop you from thinking or asking someone else. A letter may demand payment today, threaten arrest or say your account will close immediately. It may tell you to keep the matter secret.
A deadline in a letter should be checked, not ignored. Contact the organization through its official website, your own statement or a number on your card. Ask whether it sent the letter and what the real deadline is.
An unusual way to pay
Be careful when a letter insists on gift cards, cryptocurrency, a wire transfer, cash or a payment app. It may ask you to read gift-card numbers to someone or send money to a person rather than a business.
A payment demand can also include a fake check and instructions to deposit it and send some money back. Do not follow payment instructions until you have checked the claim with the organization and, when needed, your bank.
Requests for private information
A suspicious letter may ask for passwords, one-time security codes, your full Social Security number, bank details or copies of identity documents. It may say this is needed to “verify” an account or release a prize.
Do not send private information in reply to an unexpected letter. Go to the organization's official website yourself or call a number from your own records. Ask what information it actually needs and why.
Contact details that do not check out
Look closely at the web address, email domain, phone number and mailing address. Small spelling changes can point to a copycat. A QR code can also hide where a link goes. Do not use the letter's link or number to prove that the same letter is genuine.
A real-looking logo, a local postmark or a correct account detail does not settle the question. Scammers can copy designs and use information from other sources. Independent contact is the important step. Even correct grammar and professional printing cannot prove who wrote the request.
A prize, refund or problem you did not expect
Unexpected winnings, refunds, inheritance offers and account warnings are common hooks. The letter may say you must pay a fee or taxes before receiving money. It may also claim there is suspicious activity and direct you to a fake support number.
Talk with a trusted person before acting. If you already paid or shared bank information, call your bank using the number on the back of your card. You can report suspected fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Official sources
Common questions
What if a letter has none of these warning signs?
That does not confirm who sent it. If it asks for money, information or action, check with the organization using contact details from your own records or its official website. Ask a trusted person for a second opinion.
Should I call the phone number printed on the letter?
Do not rely on that number to verify the letter. Find the organization's number on your own card, statement, account or official website. You can ask the organization whether it sent the same request.
What should I do with a suspicious letter?
Do not click its links, scan its QR code or send information. Keep it for reference while you check independently. Show it to someone you trust, and report suspected fraud to the FTC or another appropriate consumer agency.
Have a letter of your own?
Take a photo or upload the pages. LetterWise can explain the words, dates, amounts and next steps in English or Spanish.