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Spotting scams and phishing · Lesson 1 of 5

Notice pressure and urgency

Scammers often try to replace careful thinking with fear, excitement, secrecy, or a deadline. The emotion is not proof of fraud, but it is a signal to slow down.

4 min readBeginner friendly · No account required
See it in everyday life

A practical example

A message says your bank account will close in ten minutes unless you tap a link. The artificial deadline is designed to stop you checking independently.

Do this now

Three useful actions

  1. 01

    Pause before replying, paying, opening a link, or sharing a code.

  2. 02

    Name the pressure tactic: urgency, threat, reward, authority, or secrecy.

  3. 03

    Move to a separate official channel before taking action.