The Scam Dictionary: The Vocabulary Needed to Recognise and Avoid Scams

Scams can take many forms, but they often speak the same language. Whether it’s a romance scam, investment scam or tech support con, scammers rely on a familiar set of emotional triggers — urgency, fear, flattery, authority, and confusion, to manipulate their victims.

Welcome to The Scam Dictionary: a glossary of common words, phrases and tactics that scammers use to pressure, trick or guilt you into acting before you think. Learn to recognise these red flags in conversation, text or email, and you’ll be much harder to fool

“Urgent” / “Act Now” / “Immediate Action Required”

Scammers rely on urgency to shut down your critical thinking. By making you feel like you must respond right now, they leave no time for second opinions. Example:

• “Your account will be suspended unless you act now.”
• “You only have 24 hours to claim your prize.”

What to do: Pause. Genuine organisations don’t rush you into snap decisions.

“You’ve Been Selected” / “Congratulations”

This appeals to ego and excitement. Scammers often open with good news to lower your defences. Example:

• “Congratulations! You’ve won a $1,000 gift card!”
• “You’ve been specially selected for this exclusive opportunity.”

What to do: Ask yourself — did I enter anything? Why would a stranger give me money?

"There’s a Problem With Your Account”

Fear and confusion are powerful motivators. By faking a crisis, scammers try to get you to hand over passwords, card numbers, or allow them remote access. Example:

• “We’ve noticed unusual activity on your account.”
• “Your account has been locked due to suspicious login attempts.”

What to do: Never click suspicious links. Go directly to the official website or contact the company yourself.

“Verify Your Identity” / “Confirm Your Details”

These phrases may sound official but are often phishing attempts in disguise. Example:

• “To avoid deactivation, please verify your billing info.”
• “We need to confirm your details for security purposes.”

What to do: Never give personal information via email or text. Real companies won’t ask.

“We are from the Government / Police / ATO”

Authority can be intimidating. Scammers impersonate officials to scare victims into compliance. Example:

• “You have an outstanding warrant for your arrest.”
• “There’s an issue with your tax file number.”

What to do: Know that police or government agencies won’t threaten you with jail time via text or call. Hang up and verify independently.

“Keep This Confidential” / “Don’t Tell Anyone”

Scammers often tell you to keep things secret to stop you getting help or advice. Example:

• “This is a private investment opportunity, don’t share it with others.”
• “I want to surprise your family, please keep this just between us.”

What to do: If someone asks you to keep a financial conversation secret, that’s a red flag.

“Just a Small Fee” / “Processing Costs Apply”

Advance-fee scams use seemingly minor charges to extract money — and often escalate. Example:

• “You’ve won the lottery, but need to pay release fees first.”
• “We can fast-track your claim for just $100.”

What to do: Legitimate payments aren’t made upfront for prizes or benefits.

“Guaranteed Returns” / “No Risk”

Scammers love certainty — it sounds reassuring. But in finance, guarantees rarely exist. Example:

• “You’ll make 20% a week, risk-free.”
• “Everyone is making money off this — don’t miss out.”

What to do: High returns with no risk = a guaranteed scam.

“Trust Me” / “I Wouldn’t Lie to You”

Emotional manipulation is common in romance and friendship scams. These lines often surface once the scammer senses hesitation. Example:

• “I know it sounds strange, but you have to trust me.”
• “Why would I lie to you after all we’ve shared?”

What to do: Genuine trust is built, not demanded. If they’re defensive or pushing guilt, step back.

“Click Here” / “Login Below”

Hyperlinks in emails or texts can look legitimate — but lead to fake websites designed to steal your data. Example:

• “Click here to reactivate your account.”
• “Log in now to claim your refund.”

What to do: Don’t click — navigate to the company site yourself via your browser.

“We’re Experiencing Delays” / “Payment Issues”

Fake businesses often use this to stall customers once money is sent. Example:

• “Sorry, your order is delayed due to shipping issues.”
• “There’s a payment system problem. Can you try again?”

What to do: If it starts feeling like excuses, it probably is. Check reviews and ABN details before buying.

“I Need Help” / “It’s an Emergency”

Used in both impersonation scams and fake romantic/emotional appeals, urgency + empathy = manipulation. Example:

• “I’ve been in an accident and need money to get home.”
• “Mum, it’s me, I lost my phone and need help fast.”

What to do: Verify. Call back on a known number or ask a question only they’d know.

One-Word Red Flags

Sometimes, just one word can reveal a scammer’s intentions, you just need to know what to look for. These words are designed to provoke emotional reactions or suggest urgency, importance, or exclusivity.

• Urgent – Pushes panic and creates false time pressure.
• Congratulations – Plays on excitement and ego.
• Verify – Sounds official but is often a phishing tactic.
• Alert – Designed to shock and pressure.
• Important – Makes the message feel official or time-sensitive.
• Update – Often used to prompt you to click a link or enter details.
• Reminder – Creates a sense of obligation or deadline.
• Security – Implies legitimacy but may be used to lure you into a trap.
• Free – Attracts attention but often comes with hidden costs.
• Gift – Suggests generosity, but is commonly used in phishing and fake giveaway scams.
• Winner – Inflates your sense of reward, but usually there’s no prize.
• Notice – Sounds formal, making the scam seem more credible.
• Required – Implies urgency or legal obligation.
• Action – Pressures you to respond quickly.
• Confirm – Encourages you to validate fake info or accounts.
• Suspended – Instils fear that something important (like your bank account) is at risk.
• Final – Suggests a last chance or consequence to force quick action.
• Now – Removes the option to pause or think.

If the language makes you panic, pause!

Scams are designed to short-circuit your instincts. They exploit emotion, not logic. So if something makes you feel rushed, flattered, threatened, or alone — stop. Ask yourself:

• Who is this?
• Why are they contacting me this way?
• What are they asking me to do?
• Does this feel off?

If the answer is “yes” — talk to someone you trust or report it to Scamwatch.

Scammers rely on words to manipulate, mislead and pressure. But when you learn the language of a scam, you learn to spot the tricks. The Scam Dictionary helps you read between the lines, because with a scam-safe vocabulary, you are harder to fool.

We’ve partnered with BankVic to help keep our community safe from scams. Stay up to date with the latest tips and information in one convenient place - The Scam Safety Hub.