Digital Money Safety Lab

Scam Spotter & Recovery Lab

Practice spotting scam red flags, choosing safer next steps, and knowing what to do if money or identity information is at risk.

Your mission

Scammers try to rush you. Your job is to slow down, spot the red flags, verify the source, and protect your money before acting.

Scenario mode

Choose a practice set

Use the mixed set for general practice, or select a focused set for a specific financial literacy tip.

Mixed practice

A little bit of everything: banking, identity, payment apps, charity, public Wi-Fi, and recovery.

Available direct-link modes

Inbox challenge

What should you do next?

You will see five situations from the selected mode. Choose the safest response, then reveal the red flags.

1 of 5

Bank Alert Text

Your account is locked

Defense score

How your scam radar is doing

Review your round, then continue to build a stronger protection system.

Correct0 / 5

ModeMixed

Skill focusVerify

Start the challenge.

Choose the safest response. Then look closely at the red flags before moving on.

Protection dashboard

Build your scam-defense shield

Check the habits you already use or want to start using. The stronger the system, the less you rely on luck.

Bank alerts are onGet notified quickly when money moves. Two-factor authenticationAdd a second lock to financial accounts. Strong unique passwordsDo not reuse the same password everywhere. Payment app balances movedDo not leave large balances sitting in payment apps. No banking on public Wi-FiUse cellular data or a trusted network for financial accounts. Credit reports checkedLook for accounts or balances you do not recognize. Charities verifiedResearch before donating through emotional links. SSN protectedNever text, DM, screenshot, or casually upload it. Suspicious messages verifiedUse official apps, websites, or phone numbers.

Protection score1 / 9

Recovery route

If something goes wrong, act fast

Fraud response is a sequence. The sooner you act, the more damage you may be able to limit.

Stop the money movement

Contact your bank, card issuer, or payment app. Lock cards, cancel transfers if possible, and change passwords.

Protect your identity

Change passwords, turn on two-factor authentication, monitor credit reports, and consider fraud alerts or credit freezes when identity information is exposed.

Document everything

Save screenshots, receipts, usernames, dates, transaction IDs, emails, and notes from phone calls.

Report through official channels

Use trusted reporting tools, consumer-protection agencies, and the company or financial institution involved.

Exit rule

Write your scam-defense rule

After finishing a round, use or edit the sentence below. It can be copied into a class response.

Practice activity only. These scenarios are educational examples. In a real situation, use official websites, official apps, and trusted adults or institutions for help.