Glossary
Scam and AI safety terms, explained plainly.
Search common terms, learn what they mean, and find safer next steps without needing technical knowledge.
59 glossary terms
Accounts And Identity
Account takeover
When someone gains access to an account that is not theirs.
AI And Impersonation
AI voice emergency scam
A scam that uses a cloned or fake voice to create panic.
AI And Impersonation
AI-generated review scam
Fake reviews created or boosted with AI.
AI And Impersonation
Bank impersonation scam
A fake bank alert or call.
AI And Impersonation
Business email compromise
A scam that tricks workers into sending money or data.
AI And Impersonation
Celebrity endorsement scam
A fake celebrity ad or video promoting a scam.
Relationships And Family
Charity scam
A fake fundraiser or donation request.
Money And Payments
Crypto wallet
A tool for holding or moving cryptocurrency.
Accounts And Identity
Data broker scam
A scam using personal details to seem credible.
AI And Impersonation
Deepfake
AI-made or AI-edited audio, image, or video that can imitate a real person.
AI And Impersonation
Fake AI tool
A fake app or site claiming to offer AI features.
Money And Payments
Fake check scam
A scam using a bad check that appears to clear.
Money And Payments
Fake contest or prize scam
A fake prize used to collect money or data.
Jobs And Business
Fake customer support
A scammer pretending to be support staff.
Jobs And Business
Fake invoice
A bill or payment request that is not legitimate.
Jobs And Business
Fake job offer scam
A fake hiring process used to steal money or data.
Messages And Links
Fake login page
A copied sign-in page built to steal credentials.
Money And Payments
Fake marketplace listing
A fake product, rental, ticket, pet, or vehicle listing.
Relationships And Family
Family code word
A private phrase used to verify emergency calls.
Money And Payments
Gift card scam
A scam where someone demands payment using gift cards.
AI And Impersonation
Government impersonation scam
A fake message from a government agency.
Relationships And Family
Grandparent scam
A fake emergency call targeting family concern.
AI And Impersonation
Hallucinated source
A source or fact that an AI system invents.
Accounts And Identity
Identity theft
Using someone’s personal information for fraud.
AI And Impersonation
Impersonation
Pretending to be a real person, company, agency, or account.
Money And Payments
Investment scam
A fake opportunity promising high returns.
AI And Impersonation
Lookalike domain
A web address designed to look official.
Messages And Links
Malicious link
A link that leads to theft, malware, or deception.
Messages And Links
Malware
Harmful software that can damage a device or steal information.
Accounts And Identity
MFA fatigue attack
Repeated login prompts meant to wear you down.
Verification Habits
Official channel
A contact path you find independently from a trusted source.
Accounts And Identity
One-time code
A temporary login or verification code.
Messages And Links
Package delivery scam
A fake delivery problem message.
Accounts And Identity
Password reset scam
A scam that tricks you into helping reset your account.
Verification Habits
Pause and verify
A simple safety habit before acting.
Money And Payments
Payment app scam
A scam using instant payment apps.
Messages And Links
Phishing
A fake message that tries to make you click, sign in, pay, or share information.
Relationships And Family
Pig-butchering scam
A long trust-building scam that often leads to fake investing.
Verification Habits
Prompt injection
Instructions hidden in content to manipulate an AI system.
Messages And Links
QR scam
A scam that uses a QR code to send you to a fake or risky page.
Money And Payments
Recovery scam
A second scam that promises to recover money from a first scam.
Accounts And Identity
Remote access
Letting someone control or view your device from somewhere else.
Relationships And Family
Romance scam
A relationship-based money scam.
Relationships And Family
Sextortion scam
A blackmail threat involving private images or claims.
Accounts And Identity
SIM swap
A phone-number takeover used to steal codes.
Messages And Links
Smishing
Phishing by text message.
Verification Habits
Social engineering
Manipulating a person with trust, fear, urgency, or emotion.
Messages And Links
Spoofing
Making a call, email, website, or profile look like it came from someone else.
Messages And Links
Suspicious attachment
A file that may contain malware or deception.
AI And Impersonation
Synthetic identity
A fake identity made from real and invented details.
Jobs And Business
Task scam
A fake online work scam with small tasks.
Jobs And Business
Tech support scam
A fake warning or call claiming your device is infected.
Messages And Links
Toll payment scam
A fake unpaid toll message.
Verification Habits
Urgency pressure
Pressure to act before you can think or verify.
Money And Payments
Vendor payment change scam
A fake request to change payment details.
Verification Habits
Verification
Checking a request through a separate trusted source.
Messages And Links
Vishing
Phishing by phone call or voicemail.
AI And Impersonation
Voice cloning
Using AI to copy or imitate a person's voice.
Money And Payments
Wire transfer
An electronic bank-to-bank money transfer that can be hard to reverse.