Is it a scam?

Is this email a scam? Forward it and ask.

Forward the email with one line on top, like "Is this real?". Penpal reads it and writes back in plain English: what looks wrong, what looks normal, and what to do next. No app to install and no account.

Forward it to hi+scam@askpenpal.com

or open in Gmail · Outlook. In your mail app, open the email, choose Forward, and send it to hi+scam@askpenpal.com.

Signs it is fake

• It wants you to act fast: a charge in 24 hours, an account about to close, a package that will be sent back.
• It gives you a phone number to call about a charge you do not recognise.
• The sender's address does not belong to the company, or is a free Gmail, Outlook or Yahoo address.
• It asks for a password, a code sent to your phone, gift cards, crypto or a wire transfer.
• It offers a refund, but only if you let someone connect to your computer.

Check it yourself

• Do not use the phone number, link or reply address in the email. Look the company up yourself, or use the number on your card or statement.
• Look for the charge on your bank or card statement. If it is not there, the email is the scam.
• Email address checkers only tell you whether an address can receive mail. They cannot tell you whether a message is honest.

If you already called, paid or let them in

Call your bank or card company on the number printed on your card, and tell them. If they connected to your computer, stop using it for banking until it has been checked, and change your passwords from another device. If they ask you to send money back for a refund that was "too much", that is the scam continuing. Report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov (US).

You can also forward the email to Penpal and say what already happened. It answers the question you ask, so "I already called them, what now?" works.

Common ones

• Geek Squad renewal emails
• McAfee and Norton renewal emails
• PayPal invoices you did not expect
• Amazon order and charge emails
• USPS delivery texts and emails

About Penpal

Penpal is an AI assistant you use by email. 3 free replies a day, no account. It is an AI and it can be wrong, so treat its answer as a second opinion, not a guarantee. Penpal never asks for a password, a code or card details in a reply. See the privacy and terms pages, or write to support@askpenpal.com to reach a person.