Is this a scam? Check it in seconds.
Paste any SMS, WhatsApp message, link, number or UPI ID. The free Scam Checker reads it on your phone (nothing is uploaded), scores the risk from 0 to 100, highlights the red flags and tells you what to do. Lost money? Call 1930 now.
Last updated: Reviewed by IndiaDigital editorsSources
- Free, no sign-up
- Runs on your phone
- Hindi, English, Hinglish
- Reads screenshots
Checked on your phone. Nothing you paste leaves this device.
Is this a scam?
Paste any message, link, number or UPI ID and tap Check. You’ll see a risk score, the red flags in your own text, and what to do next.
Scams going around right now
Each page explains how the scam works, shows real-style examples, how to check and what to do.
- Digital arrest scamThere is no “digital arrest” in Indian law. How fake CBI, police, customs and TRAI calls trap people on video, the red flags, and what to do: hang up, call 1930.
- KYC update SMS“Your account will be blocked, update KYC/PAN now” SMS are phishing. See real examples, how to spot fake bank links, and what to do if you clicked or shared an OTP.
- Part-time job scamWhatsApp and Telegram task scams pay small amounts for likes and reviews, then take lakhs as “prepaid tasks”. Learn the steps, red flags and what to do.
- UPI collect request scamFake buyers and refunds send UPI collect requests or QR codes and ask for your PIN “to receive money”. A PIN always sends money. Examples and what to do.
- Electricity bill SMS scamFake “bill not updated, power will be disconnected tonight” SMS ask you to call an officer and install an app. Learn how it works and how to check your real bill.
- Courier and parcel scamsFake “parcel on hold, update address” SMS and FedEx “drugs in your parcel” calls. Learn both courier scams, the red flags and how to track parcels safely.
- Stock tips WhatsApp groups and fake trading apps“VIP” stock tips groups promise sure returns, then move you to fake trading apps with IPO and institutional accounts. Red flags and how to check SEBI registration.
- KBC and lottery scamsKBC, Jio and WhatsApp lottery messages ask for tax or processing fees to release a prize. You can’t win a lottery you never entered. Examples and what to do.
- Instant loan app scamsIllegal loan apps lure with instant loans, take fees, then threaten to send morphed photos to your contacts. How to spot them and get help.
- Fake customer care numbersFake helpline numbers on Google ask you to install AnyDesk or share an OTP for a refund. How to find real helplines and what to do if you installed a remote app.
- Video call sextortionUnknown video calls are recorded and morphed, then used to demand money. Don’t pay, keep evidence and report on cybercrime.gov.in. Calm, practical steps.
- APK file scams.apk files on WhatsApp posing as RTO challans, PM Kisan or wedding invitations install malware that reads your OTPs. What to do if you installed one.
Play: Spot the scam
10 real-style messages. Can you tell which are scams and which are genuine? Share your score with family on WhatsApp.
Dear customer, your SBI account will be blocked today. Update PAN now: sbi-kyc-update.top
How the Scam Checker works
- More than 50 rules recognise current Indian scams: KYC, electricity bills, couriers, digital arrest, task jobs, UPI requests, loan apps and more. Every rule has a weight and a plain-language reason.
- Every link is read, never opened: shorteners, lookalike bank and brand domains, look-alike letters, risky endings, IP addresses and .apk files. Official gov.in, bank.in and bank domains are recognised so genuine bank SMS score low.
- Phone numbers and UPI IDs are checked: foreign codes (+92 and others), foreign numbers claiming to be Indian agencies, 140-series numbers, and UPI IDs named like a bank or government office.
- Everything runs in your browser. No server, no AI service, nothing saved. The result never claims certainty: it says “likely scam” and shows its reasons.
Lost money? Do this in the first hour
- Call 1930 now. The National Cyber Crime Helpline. The first hour matters most: a quick report lets banks try to hold the money before it moves on. 1930
- File the complaint on cybercrime.gov.in. Add the transaction ID or UTR, amount, time, the UPI ID or account the money went to, and screenshots. Note your complaint number. cybercrime.gov.in
- Tell your bank and freeze cards and UPI. Call the number on your card or in the bank app. Reporting within 3 working days can limit your liability under RBI rules.
- Keep the evidence, beware “recovery agents”. Don’t delete chats. Anyone who charges a fee to get your money back is running a second scam.
Free Digital Suraksha course: UPI, OTP, phishing, job and loan scams, deepfakes and what to do after fraud. Pass the final test to get a certificate. Start the course → · Certificate test →
Frequently asked questions
Is this scam checker free and private?
Yes. It is free, needs no sign-up, and the check runs entirely in your browser. Your message, number or link is never sent to a server.
Can it tell me for sure that a message is a scam?
No, and no tool honestly can. It looks for known scam signs and says “likely scam”, “suspicious” or “looks safe” with its reasons. When in doubt, verify through the official app or number yourself.
I lost money to a scam. What should I do?
Call 1930 immediately or file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in, then call your bank on its official number to block cards and UPI. The first hour matters most.
Where do I report a fraud call or SMS?
Even if you lost nothing, report fraud calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages from the last 30 days on Chakshu at sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/ (Sanchar Saathi).
Does it understand Hindi and Hinglish messages?
Yes. It reads English, Hindi (Devanagari) and Hinglish, and recognises common scam words in Marathi, Bengali, Tamil and Telugu too.
Can I check a screenshot?
Yes, where the on-device text reader pack is available. The screenshot is read on your phone as well. If it isn’t available, copy the message text and paste it instead.
Is there really something called “digital arrest”?
No. There is no digital arrest in Indian law. Police, CBI, ED or customs never arrest or question anyone on a video call or ask for money to clear a case. Hang up and call 1930.
Sources and last check
We list every rate, limit and date this page relies on, where it comes from and when we last checked it. Rules change: please confirm on the official website before you act. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
- Cyber fraud in India: where to report and what to doVerified 30 Oct 2026
If money is lost to online fraud, call 1930 or report on cybercrime.gov.in at once: quick reports let banks try to hold the money (the first hour matters most). Report suspected fraud calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages, even with no loss, through Chakshu on Sanchar Saathi (communications from the last 30 days). Tell your bank about an unauthorised transaction immediately; under RBI rules, reporting within three working days limits a customer’s liability when the fault is neither the customer’s nor the bank’s. There is no “digital arrest” under Indian law: police, CBI, ED or customs do not arrest or question people on video calls or ask for money to clear a case. Banks moved their websites to the bank.in domain; regulated banks and insurers use 1600-series numbers for service calls, and 140-series numbers are for promotions.
National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (1930) · Sanchar Saathi: Chakshu, report suspected fraud communication · RBI: limiting customer liability in unauthorised electronic banking transactions · RBI: banks to move to the bank.in domain (circular RBI/2025-26/28) · TRAI: 1600 series for service calls, 140 series for promotional calls · Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs
IndiaDigital is an independent project and is not affiliated with any government department, ICAI or the GST Network.
How we compare: IndiaDigital vs Sanchar Saathi Chakshu and cybercrime.gov.in · IndiaDigital vs VirusTotal and Google Safe Browsing