Online PrivacyWhat the checker looks for
Fraud messages are written to a formula, and the same ingredients appear again and again. The page searches the text you paste for eleven of them:
| Sign | Example words |
|---|---|
| Pressure and deadlines | "immediately", "within 24 hours", "tonight at 9.30 pm" |
| A threat | "blocked", "disconnected", "legal action", "arrest" |
| A request for a secret | OTP, PIN, CVV, password, card details |
| KYC or account update | "update your KYC", "PAN not linked" |
| A prize or easy money | "won", "lucky draw", "work from home", "guaranteed returns" |
| A request to pay or approve | "processing fee", "scan this QR", "approve the request" |
| A request to install or share your screen | ".apk", "install the app", names of remote-support tools |
| A personal mobile number to call | "contact our officer 98..." |
| An official-sounding name | RBI, police, customs, TRAI, electricity office |
| A demand for secrecy | "do not tell anyone" |
| A vague greeting or odd English | "Dear customer", "kindly do the needful" |
It also takes apart any web link in the message and tells you which site the link really belongs to, using the same checks as the link checker.
How to read the result
- Strong signs of a scam: the message asks for a secret, a payment or an app install, or shows four or more signs. Do not act on it.
- Several signs: treat it as a fraud until you have checked with the organisation through its own app or a number you already trust.
- One sign: be careful. One pattern alone is not proof either way.
- No common signs: the message matches none of the patterns. This is not a certificate that it is genuine.
The limits, stated plainly
This is a simple pattern check, written by us and run on your device. It is not an artificial intelligence, it does not look anything up, and it does not know who sent the message.
- It can miss a scam: a new script, a message in a language or spelling it does not know, or a message that starts innocently ("Hi Mum, I lost my phone, this is my new number").
- It can flag a genuine message: a real bill reminder mentions a due date, and a real bank notice may speak of a blocked card. A flagged word means "look closely", not "this is fake". Tap "Try: a genuine OTP" above to see how an ordinary code alert, which tells you not to share the code, is treated.
Use it as a second pair of eyes, and as a way of showing parents or children what the warning signs are.
The three questions that settle most cases
Whatever the checker says, ask:
- Did I start this? A message about an order, a login or a payment you did not make is an alarm in itself.
- What does it want me to do, and how fast? Tap, call, pay, install, share a code, today.
- Can I do the same thing without this message? Open the app or call the number on your card. If the matter is real, it will be there too.
What to do with a fraud message
- Do not tap, call or reply. Replying confirms that your number is in use.
- Report it on Chakshu, the suspected-fraud reporting service of the government's Sanchar Saathi portal. See Sanchar Saathi.
- Block the sender and delete the message.
- If you have already acted on it, go straight to what to do after a fraud.
Your privacy on this page
The text you paste is examined by a script running in your own browser. It is not sent to us or to anyone, and it is not saved. You can check this by loading the page, switching off the internet and using the checker: it still works. Still, as a habit, do not paste real passwords, card numbers or one-time codes into any website.
Can the checker tell me for certain that a message is fake?
No. It shows the signs. The decision rests on the three questions above and on checking with the organisation directly.
Does it work for messages in Hindi?
It recognises a few common Hindi words, but it is built mainly for messages in English and Roman-script Hinglish. A message with no signs found may simply be in a language it does not read.
Is my message stored?
No. Nothing leaves your device.