Free quiz · 2 minutes
Can you spot the scam?
Scammers now use AI to write perfect messages and copy voices. Here are six messages. Some are scams and some are real. See how many you get right.
Message 1 of 6 · Text message
EVRI: We tried to deliver your parcel but nobody was in. To rebook, pay the £1.45 redelivery fee within 24 hours: evri-redelivery-uk.com/rebook
It’s a scam. A small fee, a deadline and a link to a web address that isn’t the company’s real one. Delivery firms don’t charge to redeliver by text. If you’re expecting a parcel, open the courier’s own app or type their address in yourself.
Message 2 of 6 · Text message
Your dental check-up is on Thursday 16 October at 2:40pm. Reply YES to confirm, or call the practice on your usual number to rearrange.
It’s real. No link, no payment, no hurry, and it tells you to use a number you already have. Scams ask for something. This only asks you to turn up.
Message 3 of 6 · WhatsApp, from a number you don’t know
Hi Mum, I dropped my phone down the loo 🙈 this is my new number. Can you do me a favour? I need to pay a bill today and my banking app won’t work on this phone. Can you send £780 and I’ll pay you back tomorrow?
It’s a scam. The classic "Hi Mum" scam: a new number, a sad story, and money needed today. Ring your child on their old number, or ask for your family code word. With AI, scammers can now fake a voice note too, so don’t trust a voice alone.
Message 4 of 6 · Email
Your electricity bill for September is ready. Amount due: £84.12, which will be collected by Direct Debit on 21 October as usual. You don’t need to do anything. To see your bill, log in to your account in the usual way.
It’s real. It asks for nothing. There’s no link to click, no new payment details and no deadline. If you’re ever unsure, ignore the email and log in the way you normally do.
Message 5 of 6 · Phone call
"This is the fraud team at your bank. Someone has tried to take £2,000 from your account. To protect your money we need to move it to a safe account straight away. I’ll send a code to your phone. Please read it out to me."
It’s a scam. No bank will ever ask you to move money to a "safe account" or to read out a code. Hang up, wait a few minutes, then call the number on the back of your card, or call 159.
Message 6 of 6 · Video on social media
A well-known TV money expert looks straight at the camera and says he’s put his own savings into a new AI trading app that "turns £200 into £3,000 a month, guaranteed". There’s a link underneath to sign up.
It’s a scam. AI can now make a convincing fake video of anybody. If a famous person appears to recommend an investment, assume it’s fake. Nobody can guarantee returns.
Your score
The five red flags
Don’t judge how real a message looks. Judge what it’s asking for.
- 🚩 Hurry: "act now", "today only"
- 🚩 Money or codes: paying, moving money, or sharing a PIN or one-time code
- 🚩 Secrecy: "don’t tell anyone"
- 🚩 Odd ways to pay: gift cards, cryptocurrency, a "safe account"
- 🚩 Too good to be true: guaranteed returns, surprise prizes