How to Spot a Scam and Protect Your Money
Step-by-step guide to recognizing fraud, knowing exactly what to do if it happens, and keeping your accounts safe.
PAUSE BEFORE YOU PAY
Don't let urgency make the decision.
Scammers want you rushed, isolated, and afraid. Take two minutes to check the situation before you click, share a code, or move money.
Remember this one rule
Stop. Hang up.
Call us yourself.
Never send money in a rush.
The 5-Sign Scam Test
If even one of these is happening, it is almost certainly a scam.
Sign 1
They are rushing you.
"Act now or you will lose your money." A real bank gives you time. Scammers never do.
Sign 2
They say, "Don't tell anyone."
"Keep this between us." Anyone who says this is trying to stop you from getting help.
Sign 3
They want a strange way to pay.
Gift cards, wire transfers, crypto, or Zelle to someone you have never met.
Sign 4
You did not start this conversation.
They called you. They texted you. You did not go looking for them.
Sign 5
They say, "Move your money to keep it safe."
Your bank will never say this. The government will never say this. The police will never say this. No one who is legitimate will ever say this.
If any of these are happening, stop everything. Hang up. Then call your financial institution using the number on your debit card.
Is This a Scam?
Ask yourself these questions, one at a time.
Did someone reach out to me first?
Yes Be careful. Keep reading.
No Lower risk. But still check the next questions.
Are they making me feel like I have to act right now?
Yes This is almost always a scam. Stop.
No Good. Keep reading.
Do they want me to pay with gift cards, a wire, crypto, or Zelle to a stranger?
Yes It is a scam. No real company or agency asks for these.
No Good. Keep reading.
Are they telling me not to tell my bank/credit union or my family?
Yes It is a scam. They want to keep you alone.
No Good. One more question.
Are they telling me to "move my money to protect it"?
Yes It is a scam. No bank or government ever says this.
No Probably okay. But if something still feels wrong, trust your gut and call your bank.
If you said "yes" to any of these, hang up and call your financial institution using the number on the back of your debit card.
What to Do
Find the situation that matches yours. Follow the steps.
Situation
You got a call, text, or email that seems like it might be from your financial institution, but something feels off.
Do not click any links.
Do not call the number they gave you.
Hang up. Open your financial institution's app or flip your debit card over and call that number.
Real financial institutions will never call you to ask for your password, PIN, or text code.
Situation
You already clicked a link or gave someone your login information.
1. Change your password right now.
2. Change any reused passwords, too.
3. Turn on two-step sign-in.
4. Call your financial institution and tell them.
Check your account every day for three months. Look for charges or transfers you did not make.
Situation
Someone called saying they are from the IRS, Social Security, or the government.
Hang up. It is a scam.
The IRS sends letters. Social Security does not call and ask for gift cards. No government agency asks you to pay by gift card, wire, or crypto.
Situation
Someone tricked you into sending money through a wire, Zelle, Venmo, or Cash App.
1. Call your financial institution right now to stop or reverse it.
2. For wires: you may have 24 to 72 hours.
3. File a report at ic3.gov.
4. Say "this was an impersonation scam."
Once sent through Zelle, Venmo, or a wire, money is very hard to get back. Only send to people you know in real life.
Situation
Someone you met online wants you to invest, or a "wrong number" text became about crypto.
1. Stop sending money.
2. Screenshot everything.
3. Tell someone you trust.
4. Report to ic3.gov and ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
The trading app is fake. The gains are not real. If someone offers to "recover" your money for a fee, that is a second scam.
Situation
A panicked call from someone who sounds like your child, grandchild, or spouse.
1. Hang up. Even if it sounds exactly like them.
2. Call that person back on their real number.
3. Ask for your family's safe word.
Today's technology can copy a voice from a few seconds of audio. It sounds real. It is not.
Situation
Someone sent you a check and wants you to deposit it and send part back.
Do not deposit the check. It is fake.
When it bounces (and it will), you owe the full amount plus any money you already sent.
Situation
Someone says your computer is hacked and wants to install software, then move your money.
1. Unplug your computer from the internet.
2. Delete the software they installed.
3. Change passwords from a different device.
4. Call your financial institution.
Microsoft, Apple, and Google will never call you.
Situation
Someone sent you money "by accident" on Zelle or Venmo and asks you to send it back.
Do not send it back. Tell them to call their own financial institution.
The money probably came from a stolen account. If you "return" it, you lose that money when the real owner reports it.
Situation
Bills, calls, or credit denials for accounts you never opened.
1. Close fraud accounts at each company.
2. Fraud alert at all the credit bureaus.
3. Freeze credit at all three bureaus. Free.
4. Go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.
A credit freeze is free, takes minutes, and you can turn it off any time you need to apply for credit.
I Already Sent Money.
Follow these steps in order. The faster you move, the better your chance.
Stop all contact with the scammer.
Block them. Do not respond to follow-up messages. Do not send more money.
Call your financial institution right now.
Ask them to stop or reverse the payment. Ask them to freeze your account and send you a new card.
Change your passwords.
Start with email, then banking. Turn on two-step sign-in. Do this from a device you trust.
Report it.
Your report helps catch them and protect others.
Place an alert or freeze with each of the three credit bureaus.
Experian: (888) 397-3742, www.experian.com
Equifax: (800) 685-1111, www.equifax.com
TransUnion: (800) 916-8800, www.transunion.com
ReportFraud.ftc.gov for all scams
ic3.gov for FBI internet crime
consumerfinance.gov/complaint for bank complaints
Your local police department to get a report number
Save everything.
Take screenshots of messages, texts, and transactions. Write down phone numbers and usernames.
Watch out for "recovery" scams.
After a scam, someone may contact you saying they can get your money back, for a fee. That is a second scam. The FBI, the FTC, and your financial institution will never charge you a fee to get your money back.
7 Simple Habits That Stop Most Scams
You do not need to be a tech expert. Just do these things.
Always call back yourself.
If someone calls saying they are your financial institution, the government, or anyone asking for money, hang up. PrimeWay will NEVER call you and ask for your debit card number, PIN, username, password, security code, or access code. Even if the call appears to be from PrimeWay, HANG UP.
Call us at 713-799-6200. The number can also be found easily on the back of your debit card or in the Contact Us section of your mobile app or online account.
Different password for every account.
A thief who gets one password gets everywhere you reused it. A password manager remembers them all.
Turn on two-step sign-in.
Even if someone steals your password, they cannot get in without the code from your phone.
Freeze your credit.
Free at all three bureaus. Stops anyone from opening accounts in your name. Turn it off any time.
Turn on alerts for every transaction.
Get a notification every time money moves. Spot problems in minutes, not weeks.
Only Zelle or Venmo people you know.
Treat it like handing someone cash. Once you send it, it is gone.
Pick a family safe word.
AI can clone voices. A safe word cannot be guessed. Set one today.
When in doubt,
give us a call.
When unsure, call us on our direct line, and we can help you figure out if something is a scam before you send any money.
Never send money in a rush.
PrimeWay is here to help you protect what matters.
This guide is for education only and is not legal or financial advice. How much money you can get back depends on your situation and your financial institution's regulations. Sources include the Federal Trade Commission, FBI, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and Social Security Administration.