Is That Message a Scam? Check It in 60 Seconds.
The 8 red flags I watched for in 35+ years of fraud investigation, in one free fillable checklist.
From panic to a plan: know Scam or Safe before you tap, reply, or pay — and protect your money and the people you love.
8 Red Flags: Check Any Message in 60 Seconds
by Shirley Pegram — Fraud Prevention Expert
What's inside this checklist:
- 1Urgent pressure to act NOW - no time to think
- 2Requests for wire transfer, gift cards, or crypto
- 3Someone who "only" contacts you by phone or app
- 4Unexpected tax bills, prizes, or inheritance notices
- 5Requests to keep the conversation secret from family
- 6Caller ID that looks official but feels off
- 7Sweetheart who refuses a live video call
- 8Invoice from a vendor you do not recognize
0 red flags - GO: It checks out. Still verify on a number you look up yourself.
1-2 red flags - SLOW DOWN: Verify independently before you tap, reply, or pay.
3 or more - STOP: Treat it as a scam. Do not tap, do not reply, do not pay.
The 8 red flags
Check any text, email, or call against the same warning signs investigators watch for.
A stop-or-go score
Count the flags you spot — 0 means go, 3 or more means stop and treat it as a scam.
A call-first person box
The one person you call before money moves or codes get shared.
Why this checklist exists
I've seen what happens after the money is gone.
For more than 35 years I read the case files, traced the wire transfers, and made calls to families after the damage was done. The victims were not careless — they simply didn't know what to look for in the moment.
This checklist is the first thing I'd put in every household. It's not about fear — it's about having the questions ready before a smooth-talking stranger creates urgency.
— Shirley Pegram, Digital Hustle Queen