Scanners · 8 articles
Scanners & How-To
Every signal the scanner reads is something you can also check by hand. These how-to guides walk through the manual version of each scanner so you understand exactly what each verdict means — and can verify anything even when offline.
How to Verify a Social Media Account
Manual checklist that matches what the GACS scanner runs automatically.
verifysocialmanual checkHow to Verify Any Social Account (6-step)
The universal 6-step routine that works on any platform.
verifychecklistsocialHow to Verify a Wallet Address
Reading on-chain history, sanctions lists, and dust-attack signals.
walletcryptoverifyHow to Check if a DM Is a Scam
Decoding suspicious DMs across X, IG, Telegram, and Discord.
dmmessagephishingHow to Check if a Phone Number Is a Scam
Carrier lookups, spam-database matches, and SIM-swap tells.
phonesmsscamHow to Check if an Email Is a Scam
Header analysis, SPF/DKIM, and the 4 classic phishing-mail patterns.
emailphishingspfHow to Spot Phishing
Universal phishing signals across email, SMS, and DM.
phishingemailsmsHow to Spot a Crypto Scam
Rug pulls, recovery scams, and approval-drainer patterns.
cryptorug pulldrainer
Scanners — Frequently Asked Questions
The questions readers ask most about scanners & how-to. Each answer points back to the article in this category that covers it in depth.
How do I manually verify a social media account?
Cross-check the handle against the person's official website, look for consistent creation date across platforms, and inspect engagement patterns. The 6-step universal routine works on X, IG, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Telegram.
Read more: Verify Any Social Account (6-Step), How to Verify a Social Media Account
How do I check if a crypto wallet address is safe?
Read the on-chain history for sanctions-list matches, mixer interactions, and dust-attack patterns. The wallet-verification guide explains each signal and links to the free GACS wallet checker.
Read more: How to Verify a Wallet Address
How do I tell if a DM is a scam?
Decode the opener (urgency, unrequested help, off-platform redirect), check the sender's profile against the impersonation checklist, and never click links until you've verified the account independently.
Read more: How to Check if a DM Is a Scam
How do I check if a phone number or email is a scam?
Run a carrier lookup and spam-database match for phone numbers; inspect SPF/DKIM headers and the 4 classic phishing-mail patterns for email. Both guides include free lookup tools.
Read more: Check a Phone Number, Check an Email
How do I spot a phishing attempt across email, SMS, and DM?
Universal phishing signals are sender-domain mismatch, urgency framing, unsolicited attachments, and credential-harvest landing pages. The phishing guide covers all three channels with example screenshots.
Read more: How to Spot Phishing, How to Spot a Crypto Scam
Other categories in the hub
Keep exploring
- Run a free scan
Check any social handle, website, or wallet in seconds.
- Scanner FAQ
24 answers on how GACS detects scams and protects privacy.
- Scam Education Hub
Searchable index of every GACS guide, scanner, and article.
- Verify any account
A 6-step routine to manually confirm an identity.
- About GACS
Who we are, how we're funded, and our editorial standards.