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Scam Types · 6 articles

Scam Categories

These pages document the scam categories GACS sees most often, with the specific phrases, channels, and patterns each one uses. Use them to recognise a scam in progress and to file a report that helps the next person.

Scam Types — Frequently Asked Questions

The questions readers ask most about scam categories. Each answer points back to the article in this category that covers it in depth.

What are the most common scam phrases in 2026?

The Top 100 Scam Phrases list is ranked by 2026 frequency — recurring openers include 'I'm reaching out from [exchange] support', 'I can help you recover funds', and 'wrong number, but you seem interesting'. Each phrase links to the scam type that uses it.

Read more: Top 100 Scam Phrases in 2026

How does a pig-butchering scam work?

It blends romance grooming with fake investment platforms. The scammer builds trust over weeks, introduces a 'proven' trading site, lets the victim withdraw a small amount, then traps a much larger deposit. The reporting guide covers evidence collection and the right agencies to file with.

Read more: How to Report a Pig-Butchering Scam

What makes WhatsApp scams different from SMS scams?

WhatsApp scams exploit the platform's contact-based trust model: family-emergency impersonation, fake recruiter pitches, and wrong-number openers that pivot to investment fraud. End-to-end encryption means platform reporting is limited; speed of victim education matters more.

Read more: WhatsApp Scams

How do I check if a Bitcoin address is linked to known scams?

Paste it into the GACS wallet checker. The Bitcoin Scams page also catalogs the recurring patterns — fake exchange domains, recovery-scam wallets, and investment-fraud rotation addresses.

Read more: Bitcoin Scams, How to Verify a Wallet Address

Where can I search confirmed scams that GACS has already documented?

The Global Scam Database is fully public, searchable by handle, wallet, domain, phone, or email. Every confirmed entry has a permanent warning page so the next person who Googles it lands on the warning first.

Read more: The Global Scam Database, How to Report a Scam Website

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