Comparison
GACS vs ScamAdviser
Both tools help you check if something online is a scam. The difference is what they scan, how they're funded, and whether they show ads on top of your results.
Free, non-profit, ad-free. Scans websites, crypto wallets, and social handles. Run by the Global Anti-Crime & Safety community.
Long-running commercial website-trust service. Scores websites using domain age, hosting, blacklists, and user reviews. Free tier with paid plans and ads.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | GACS | ScamAdviser |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free forever | Free + paid plans |
| Ads on results | None | Ad-supported |
| Business model | Non-profit, community-funded | Commercial / for-profit |
| Website / domain check | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto wallet check | Yes | No |
| Social handle check (X, Telegram, IG) | Yes | No |
| Public scam registry with evidence | Yes | User reviews |
| Victim recovery guidance | Built in | Limited |
| Account required to scan | No | No |
What each tool actually scans
Both tools check domains. GACS adds a public scam registry with submitted evidence.
GACS-only. Look up an ETH / BTC / SOL address against reported scams and known drainer contracts.
GACS-only. Scan X, Telegram and Instagram accounts for impersonation, pig-butchering patterns, and prior reports.
Why “no ads, no tracking” matters
When a scam-checker is funded by ads, the page that tells you whether a site is safe is often surrounded by paid links to other sites — some of which are themselves aggressively marketed. GACS is funded by donations and grants, so the verdict is the product. We have no incentive to keep you on the page, no incentive to surface a competitor, and no reason to track you across the web.
That model also lets us publish the public scam registry, victim recovery guidance, and free courses and study materials — funded by the community, not by your attention.
Frequently asked questions
Is ScamAdviser legit?
ScamAdviser is a real, long-running website-trust service used by millions of people every month. It's a legitimate tool — but it's an ad-supported commercial product, and its trust score is based mainly on domain signals (age, WHOIS, hosting, blacklists, user reviews). Treat the score as one input, not a verdict, and cross-check with a second source before sending money or sharing data.
Is GACS free?
Yes. Every GACS tool — the website checker, wallet lookup, social-handle scan, victim recovery guidance — is free for everyone, forever. There is no paid tier, no paywall, no upsell. GACS is community-funded and operates as a non-profit safety service.
Does GACS show ads or sell my data?
No. GACS does not run third-party ads, does not sell scan data, and does not track you across the web. We log only what's needed to detect abuse and improve scam detection.
Can GACS check things ScamAdviser can't?
Yes. GACS scans websites, but also crypto wallet addresses, social-media handles (X, Telegram, Instagram), and shareable links — the channels where modern pig-butchering, romance, and recovery scams actually run. ScamAdviser is primarily a website-trust checker.
Which one should I use?
Use both if you want a second opinion on a website domain — that's ScamAdviser's strength. Use GACS when you're checking a crypto wallet, an X / Telegram / Instagram account, a DM you received, or you want a free, ad-free tool with a public scam registry and victim guidance attached.
Paste a website, a wallet address, or a social handle. We’ll tell you what we know in seconds.
Comparison based on publicly available information about ScamAdviser’s product and business model as of June 2026. ScamAdviser is a trademark of its respective owner; this page is editorial and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ScamAdviser.