Home / Learn / Sellers and scams / Is this a scam?⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌⁠

Scam check

Is this a scam? Paste the message and see the red flags in seconds

You haven't replied yet, and that was the right call. If it's about a degree, a diploma or a job that needs one, paste it into our scanner to see the red flags in seconds. For a parcel text or a "bank" call, use the feelings table and the one move under it. Already replied or paid? Go straight to what to do now.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌⁠

Is this a scam? Your gut noticed first

Your unease is usually a pressure point you noticed before you had words for it. Find yours:

The feeling, and the words behind itSettle it
"This is too easy."
No exams, a degree in days		Ask what you'd study and how it's assessed
"They're rushing me."
"Today only", "last chance"		Wait a day. A real offer survives a pause
"That answers a question I didn't ask."
"Verifiable degree", "passes background checks"		Check with the university yourself, never through the seller's link
"It sounds very official."
"Internationally accredited"		Ask who recognises the accreditor. In the US, that's the Department of Education or CHEA: start with the Department's list. Elsewhere, see the registers further down
"The payment feels odd."
Crypto, gift cards, a personal account		Pay a university only through its own finance office, found on its official website
"It found me."
A message you never asked for		Contact the organisation through its own website
"It's flattering."
"You have been selected"		Real selection follows an application. If you never applied, you weren't selected

Not about a degree? One move settles almost every row: contact the organisation yourself, through its own website or the number on your card, never through the message. That's the advice of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre, whose tell-tale signs (authority, urgency, emotion, scarcity, current events) line up with the US Federal Trade Commission's four signs: pretend, problem or prize, pressure, pay.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌⁠

For the long answer to "too easy", read the small print on an instant degree. For "very official", read what "accredited" means in a sales pitch.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌⁠

Spot the seven: one message, decoded

Picture this: a WhatsApp message from a number you don't know. It's invented, but every line is typical. Find seven tells before you open the answers.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌⁠

"Congratulations! You have been selected: your work experience qualifies you for an accredited bachelor's degree. No exams. Verifiable degree, registered in the university database. Only 3 places left, so pay by USDT today to secure yours."

The seven tells, and the question that collapses each
  1. "You have been selected" wants you flattered. Ask: selected from what? You never applied.
  2. "Your work experience qualifies you" wants it to feel earned. Ask: which university assessed it? Universities can assess your experience for credit towards a degree, as the UK's Quality Assurance Agency explains, but only after you apply, and nobody turns it into a whole degree by text.
  3. "No exams" wants it to feel easy. Ask: how would I be assessed?
  4. "Verifiable degree, registered in the university database" answers a doubt before you voice it. Ask: verified by whom? Some sellers run their own "verification" website, email or phone line that confirms whatever they sold, which is why you check with the university yourself.
  5. "Only 3 places left... today" wants you rushed. Ask: what changes if I wait a day?
  6. "Pay by USDT", a cryptocurrency, wants your money outside any university's own system. Ask: why not the university's finance office?
  7. A number you don't know wants you to feel found. Ask: how did they get my number?

Run it through the scanner. Copy the whole message, sender and web address included, into the message scanner. It runs in your browser, so the text stays on your device, and works best in English. It knows one family of scams well: those selling degrees, diplomas and certificates, including ones hidden in job offers.⁠​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌⁠

On this message, the scanner flags the no-exams line, both verification promises, the crypto payment and the countdown as warning signs.

It misses the flattery and the unknown number, and wordings like the work-experience line can slip past a phrase list: it catches familiar phrasings, not every new one. So a clean result is never a clean bill of health.

Three things no scanner can see

  1. Who really sent it. This is where "It found me" gets its answer. A university's name in the signature proves nothing. Compare the sender's address with the university's official website, found by searching yourself. The verification trap check does this for "verification" sites and email addresses.
  2. Whether the school is real. The scanner checks an accreditor's name, not whether the school holds that accreditation, and sellers sometimes name real accreditors falsely. Check the accreditor's own directory, then the country's register: GOV.UK's guide (UK bodies), DAPIP (US institutions) or TEQSA's National Register (Australian providers). Then try the government warning lists.
  3. Where the link goes. Don't tap it. Paste the link, shortened or not, into the website X-ray: it opens the link on our server, not your phone, and shows where it redirects. Run that address through too, to see when its domain was registered and whether it imitates a real UK, US or Australian university's address.

The pause card: two sentences that buy you time

Scammers follow up fast, by phone or by chat. You don't have to argue or explain. Keep this ready:

"I don't pay or send documents until I've checked who you are. I'll get back to you through your official website."

A real university or employer won't mind the wait. A scammer will push harder or go quiet, and either answer tells you what you needed to know. Until you've checked:

  • Don't tap links or scan QR codes in the message.
  • Don't send money, ID or copies of certificates.
  • Screenshot the message and the sender's details. They are your evidence if you report it.
  • Show it to someone you trust. "Stop and talk to someone you trust" is the FTC's own advice.

It's a scam. Now what?

  • Not paid, in the UK? Block the sender. The NCSC explains how to report a scam email, forward a scam text free to your phone provider, and report a paid-for scam advert to the Advertising Standards Authority.
  • Not paid, in the US? Block the sender and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
  • Paid or shared details? Call your bank on the number on your card. Then report it as a crime: to Report Fraud in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or Police Scotland, the routes the NCSC names. In the US, use ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and IdentityTheft.gov if you shared personal details.
  • Paid a degree seller? The job seekers' guide shows what to do next, including asking your bank whether the payment can be disputed.
  • A job offer with a bill attached? Read is your offer letter real? next.

Then copy the pause card into your phone's notes, so the two sentences are ready when the next message lands.

Sources

Check it before you trust it. The free tools in the Fake Degree Lab look at a CV, a school's website, a message or a "verification" service and show the warning signs, with links to the official registers.

Open the Fake Degree Lab

#IsThisAScam #ScamCheck #ScamAwareness #DiplomaMills

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