Scams and FraudFraud infrastructure
Account Farming
Account farming creates or cultivates aged accounts to bypass trust systems and run later fraud.
Read full definitionShouldEye Trust Intelligence Glossary
Scams and Fraud Terms
Authoritative scam and fraud terminology covering phishing, impersonation, payment fraud, and modern social-engineering patterns.
Educational information only. ShouldEye does not provide legal, banking, or individualized financial advice. Dispute rights, deadlines, and outcomes depend on your payment method, card network, issuer, processor, jurisdiction, and the facts of your case. Legal Disclaimers
85 published definitions in this topic.
Scams and FraudHigh risk
Account Recovery Fraud
Account recovery fraud abuses reset flows, SIM swaps, or support social engineering to take over accounts.
Read full definitionScams and FraudConsumer situation
Account Taken Over
Account taken over is when someone else gains control of your email, shopping, banking, or subscription account without permission.
Read full definitionScams and FraudRomance scam
Advance Fee Romance Hybrid
An advance-fee romance hybrid combines fake affection with upfront “fee” demands before a promised payoff.
Read full definitionScams and Fraud
Advance-Fee Scam
An advance-fee scam requires upfront payment for a prize, loan, inheritance, or deal that never materializes.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Affiliate Cloaking
Affiliate cloaking shows different pages to networks versus users—often hiding scam or policy-violating content from reviewers.
Read full definitionScams and FraudAI-enabled fraud
AI-Generated Scam
An AI-Generated Scam uses generative AI to create deceptive text, images, voices, sites, or personas that look more polished and personalized.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
App Store Scam Listing
An app store scam listing mimics a real app to harvest accounts, subscriptions, or device permissions.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Bank Impersonation Scam
Fraudsters posing as a bank to steal credentials, one-time codes, or authorize fraudulent transfers.
Read full definitionScams and FraudPhishing
Bank Verification Scam
A bank verification scam pretends to confirm account security while harvesting credentials, codes, or remote access.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Brand Bidding Abuse
Brand bidding abuse is buying ads on a competitor’s or victim’s brand terms to divert traffic into phishing or lookalike funnels.
Read full definitionScams and FraudScareware
Browser Locker
A browser locker freezes or overlays a browser with a fake police or virus warning to extort payment.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Business Email Compromise Variant
Vendor-impersonation BEC tricks finance teams with faked supplier payment-change requests after mailbox or domain spoofing.
Read full definitionScams and FraudBEC
Business Email Spoofing
Business email spoofing forges sender identity so messages appear to come from a trusted company domain.
Read full definitionScams and FraudPhishing
Callback Phishing
Callback phishing lures victims to call a fake support number where social engineers continue the scam by voice.
Read full definitionScams and Fraud
Chargeback Fraud
Abusive or false chargeback claims filed to reverse legitimate purchases after receiving goods or services.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Check Cashing Scam
A scam that sends a fake check, asks for a partial refund or transfer, then leaves the victim liable.
Read full definitionScams and FraudPayment fraud
Check Overpayment Scam
A check overpayment scam sends a fake oversized payment and asks the victim to return the “extra” before the check fails.
Read full definitionScams and FraudPayment fraud
Check Washing
Check washing chemically or digitally alters a check to change payee or amount for theft.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Click-to-Message Scam Ad
A click-to-message scam ad funnels users into private chat where pressure tactics and fake payment instructions take over.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Crypto Drain
Malicious approvals or wallet connections that silently transfer cryptocurrency out of a victim’s wallet.
Read full definitionScams and FraudRecovery scam
Crypto Recovery Room
A crypto recovery room is a boiler-room style operation that sells fake fund-recovery services to prior scam victims.
Read full definitionScams and FraudBEC
Deepfake CEO Fraud
Deepfake CEO fraud uses synthetic voice or video of an executive to authorize urgent fraudulent payments.
Read full definitionScams and FraudSynthetic media risk
Deepfake Scam
A Deepfake Scam uses AI-generated or heavily manipulated audio, video, or images to impersonate someone and extract value.
Read full definitionScams and FraudBrand impersonation
Domain Spoofing
Domain spoofing creates lookalike domains to impersonate a trusted brand and trick users into trusting a malicious site.
Read full definitionScams and FraudJob fraud
Employment Scam
An employment scam uses fake job offers to steal application fees, personal data, or money under the guise of hiring.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Fake Antivirus
Software or alerts that claim to detect infections in order to sell useless tools or install malware.
Read full definitionScams and FraudScareware
Fake Antivirus Scam
A fake antivirus scam sells worthless security software after frightening victims with fabricated infection alerts.
Read full definitionScams and FraudCharity scam
Fake Charity Disaster Appeal
A fake charity disaster appeal solicits donations after crises using lookalike pages and urgent emotional pressure.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Fake Customer Support
Impersonation of brand support in chat, DMs, or search ads to steal logins and funds.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Fake Customer Support Ad
A fake customer support ad bids on “support” or brand+login queries to steal credentials through lookalike help desks.
Read full definitionScams and FraudImpersonation
Fake Customer Support Chat
A fake customer support chat appears on search ads or spoofed sites to harvest credentials and payment details.
Read full definitionScams and FraudConsumer situation
Fake Customer Support Suspected
Fake customer support suspected means someone posing as a company, bank, or tech helper tries to “assist” you in ways that expose money or accounts.
Read full definitionScams and FraudMarketplace scam
Fake Escrow
Fake escrow impersonates a neutral payment holder while attackers control both sides of a transaction.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Fake Job Offer
A fraudulent employment pitch used to steal fees, bank details, or identity documents.
Read full definitionScams and FraudEmployment scam
Fake Job Offer Letter
A fake job offer letter is forged employment paperwork used to harvest fees, data, or money-mule participation.
Read full definitionScams and FraudImpersonation
Fake Law Firm Scam
A fake law firm scam impersonates attorneys to collect fees for nonexistent legal recovery or settlement work.
Read full definitionScams and FraudConsumer situation
Fake Tracking Number
A fake tracking number is shipping information that does not correspond to a real, progressing shipment of your order.
Read full definitionScams and FraudFinancial crime
Fraud
Fraud is intentional deception for financial or personal gain, including misrepresentation of identity, goods, or payment outcomes.
Read full definitionScams and Fraud
Fraud Risk Score
A numeric estimate of how likely a transaction, account, or entity is to be fraudulent based on risk signals.
Read full definitionScams and FraudPayment scam
Gift Card Payment Scam
A gift card payment scam demands irreversible gift-card codes for taxes, fines, or emergency help.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Gift Card Scam
A scam that pressures victims to buy gift cards and share codes as irreversible payment for fake debts or prizes.
Read full definitionScams and FraudAccount takeover
Help Desk Social Engineering
Help desk social engineering manipulates support staff into resetting credentials or granting access.
Read full definitionScams and Fraud
Identity Fraud
Using someone else’s identity details to open accounts, obtain credit, or commit other unauthorized acts.
Read full definitionScams and FraudFinancial scam
Investment Scam
An investment scam promises unrealistic returns to lure victims into sending money for fake or manipulated investments.
Read full definitionScams and FraudPayment fraud
Invoice Fraud
Invoice fraud tricks people or businesses into paying altered or fake invoices, often via email compromise.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Invoice Redirect Fraud
Invoice redirect fraud changes bank details on a real-looking bill so payments land in a criminal account.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Invoice Scam
Fraud that sends a fake bill or altered payment instructions so victims pay criminals instead of a real vendor.
Read full definitionScams and FraudGovernment impersonation
IRS Impersonation Scam
An IRS impersonation scam fakes tax-authority threats to extract payment or personal data.
Read full definitionScams and FraudIdentity theft
KYC Phishing
KYC phishing fakes identity-verification flows to steal ID images, selfies, and personal data.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Lookalike Domain Email
Lookalike-domain email uses a near-identical domain (extra letter, hyphen, or TLD) to pass casual scrutiny while failing true brand ownership.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Malicious Sponsored Result
A malicious sponsored result is a paid listing designed to look like support, login, or download help while delivering fraud.
Read full definitionScams and FraudEcommerce fraud
Marketplace Scam
A marketplace scam is fraud on peer-to-peer marketplaces involving fake listings, non-delivery, counterfeit goods, or payment tricks.
Read full definitionScams and FraudOnline fraud risk
Online Scam
An Online Scam is a scam executed primarily through websites, apps, messages, marketplaces, or other internet channels.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Package Delivery Scam
Phishing that claims a package is held or needs a fee, harvesting card details or malware installs.
Read full definitionScams and FraudEcommerce scam
Package Redirection Scam
A package redirection scam changes delivery details or uses fake carrier messages to steal goods or fees.
Read full definitionScams and FraudSmishing
Parcel Fee Scam
A parcel fee scam texts or emails fake customs or delivery charges that lead to phishing or payment theft.
Read full definitionScams and FraudConsumer situation
Payment Sent to a Scammer
Payment sent to a scammer means you transferred money or completed a purchase that you now believe went to a fraudulent actor.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Phishing Kit
A phishing kit is packaged HTML/backends sold or shared so lower-skilled attackers can deploy fake login pages quickly.
Read full definitionScams and FraudHigh risk
Pig Slaughter Scam
Another name for pig-butchering: a long-con romance-investment scam that builds intimacy then drains savings.
Read full definition