How to spot a scam message

Scam messages work not through technical genius but by making you hurry. "Your account will be closed", "your parcel is being sent back", "last 2 hours" — they all have the same purpose: getting you to click before you have a chance to think.

The good news is this: the patterns never change. If even one of the signs below is there, that is reason enough to delete the message. When you can't be sure, the golden rule is: go not to the link in the message but to the institution's own app or official website. If there is a real problem, it shows up there too.

1. Watch out for pressure to hurry Phrases like 'final hours', 'right now', 'or it will be closed' are the signature of a scam. Real institutions don't push you to click a link under time pressure.
2. Look at the sender's address A bank text doesn't come from '[email protected]' or from an unfamiliar number. Read the domain name in the address all the way to the end: 'mybank.com-login.xyz' is not mybank.com.
3. Examine the link without clicking it If the address is shortened (like bit.ly) or the domain name has nothing to do with the institution, don't click. On a phone you can press and hold the link to see the real address.
4. If personal details are being asked for, stop No bank, courier company or official institution asks for a password, a card number or an SMS code by message. Anyone who does is a scammer — there are no exceptions.
5. Look at the spelling and the language Sentences that reek of an odd translation, mistakes in Turkish characters, inconsistent capital letters... Corporate messages don't make these mistakes.
6. Verify through the institution's own channel If you are in doubt, close the message; open your bank's app or check your parcel tracking number on the official site. If it is real, it is there too.
7. If you have been caught, act fast If you entered your details, change your password immediately, call your bank, have your card blocked. Don't be embarrassed — people of every age and every profession fall into these traps.

⚠ This guide is general information. Yudum cannot be held responsible for the outcome of following it; for official procedures always rely on the institution's own statement. Steps and fees change over time.

🎯 Related content

How do you download and delete your data with Google Takeout? From photos to email, from location history to searches — what's in your account? Download it all, and have what you don't need deleted automatically. What should you do if your social media account is hacked? The first ten minutes are when getting the account back is easiest. In order: recovery, closing sessions, protecting linked accounts, warning the… Where do you report internet fraud? If you've lost money, the first hours are critical. Which incident goes to which institution, and which evidence you need to gather — in order. How do you turn on two-step verification? Keep your account out of reach even if your password is stolen: two-step verification is the single setting that, on its own, makes the biggest… What to do if you forget your password No panic. If you gave an e-mail address it is a five-minute job — if you didn't, there is a section you need to read. How to set up your profile and avatar An empty profile looks like an empty chair. Five minutes and people start recognizing you.