FBI special agent breaks down the biggest 'red flags' that suggest you're being scammed

With the rise in technology, including online banking and people being able to tap their credit cards in seconds with their cell phone, it's important to be more cautious than ever of scams. Luckily, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have listed the major red flags for citizens to look out for.

As the holiday season approaches, scam attempts are rising, and therefore, it's important for citizens to be aware of the warning signs. This weekend, millions of Americans will be celebrating Labor Day weekend, and before we know it, Halloween will come knocking at the door, and then, it's Christmas time.

As per the Consumer Federation of America, Americans lost an estimated $148.2 billion to online scams & crimes in 2025. which was up from 25.8% from 2024. Here's the biggest red flags to look out for, as per FBI Special Agent Rebecca Keithley...

Fear

Rebecca says fear is the 'number one red flag'.

"It can look like fear of missing out in an incredible investment opportunity, fear of missing out on romance, or even fear that you're going to be arrested," she explained.

She explains that the scammers are preying upon these heightened emotional states, to drive panic. This pushes people into autopilot mode, which makes people react without thinking, making them more likely to fall into a scam.

Sense of Urgency

A number of scams tell people that they 'must act now' before missing out, or even being arrested.

Here, Rebecca explained that the scammers are 'trying to prevent their targeted victim from thinking'.

Secrecy

Rebecca urged those to look to see if they're being told to keep payments secret - which is a major red flag. This could also be in the form of them telling you to say you're making the payment for something else.

Unusual payment methods

These include:

• Gift cards
• Cryptocurrency
• Gold bars
• If someone says they're sending a courier to pick up cash

The FBI have listed 5 major red flags in terms of scams (Getty Stock)

Here, Rebecca says the scammers are trying to evade bank oversight.

Gift cards have become increasingly popular in scams, the Special Agent warned.

"Once you have handed that code over to the scammer, the money's gone, and so law enforcement and the financial institutions can't track it." This, is what makes it such a popular payment with scammers.

Inconsistency

In the video, Rebecca also warns people to stop and think whether the justification of the payment makes sense. If the answer is no, you guessed it, another red flag. Here, their intention is to 'confuse' the victim, making them act without thinking.

Sharing a story she had witnessed first-hand, Rebecca said: "We had a victim who came forward in an imposter scam, of someone who claimed to be from a third party retailer contacted the victim and said your credit card was declined."

They then said the victim was going to be arrested by the IRS unless they made payment through gift cards.

However, people do not need to be afraid, but rather make sure they are aware of the red flags - and are advised to 'take a breathe' if they notice any of these, and not act straight away in panic.