Critical
A relative in trouble
What it looks like. A grandchild, a nephew, a friend: "It's me. I'm in jail, I had an accident, I lost my phone, this is my new number. I need money today and please don't tell Mom." The voice on the phone can be cloned from a video; the email can come from a stolen account.
What Office Guard Home says. "A family emergency asking for money."
What to do. Hang up or close the message. Call the person on the number you already have. Call another relative. A real emergency survives a five-minute check; a scam does not.
Critical
Gift cards, crypto or a money app as the way to pay
What it looks like. Whatever the story, the ending is the same: buy gift cards and read the numbers over the phone, send Bitcoin at an ATM, pay by Zelle, Venmo, Cash App or Western Union. No business, agency or court is paid that way.
What Office Guard Home says. "Asked to pay with gift cards or crypto."
What to do. Stop. Gift cards are for gifts. Anyone who insists on them, or on crypto, or on a money app to a stranger, is stealing from you.
High
Tech support and the refund that needs remote access
What it looks like. "Your Norton subscription renewed for $399.99." "Your computer is infected." "Microsoft support here." The fix always needs you to call a number and let them connect to your computer, or to install AnyDesk or TeamViewer. Then your bank is open on your own screen.
What Office Guard Home says. "Tech support or refund scam."
What to do. Never let a caller or a message sender onto your computer. If you think you were charged, look at your card statement yourself, and call the company on the number from its real website.
High
A prize that costs a fee to claim
What it looks like. Publishers Clearing House, a lottery you never entered, an inheritance, a "reward." To claim it you pay a processing fee, taxes or shipping first, or confirm your date of birth and bank details.
What Office Guard Home says. "A prize that needs a fee."
What to do. A real prize costs nothing to collect. Do not pay, do not send details, and do not call the number in the message.
High
The IRS, Social Security, a court or the police
What it looks like. "A warrant will be issued." "Your Social Security number has been suspended." "Pay the back taxes now to avoid arrest." Real agencies write letters; they do not threaten arrest by email or text, and they never take gift cards.
What Office Guard Home says. "A government agency demanding action."
What to do. Do not call the number in the message. Find the agency's real number yourself and ask whether they contacted you. The IRS and Social Security both have pages about these exact scams.
High
A bank or account alert that wants you to click
What it looks like. "Unusual sign-in detected." "Your account is locked." "Confirm this transaction." The link goes to a copy of the bank's page that takes your password, or the number connects you to the thief.
What Office Guard Home says. "A bank alert pushing you to click or call."
What to do. Do not use the link or the number in the message. Open the bank's app or type its address yourself, or call the number on the back of your card.
Watch
A package that could not be delivered
What it looks like. "USPS: your parcel is held, pay a $1.95 redelivery fee." "FedEx: address incomplete, update it here." The fee is small on purpose; the card details are what they want.
What Office Guard Home says. "A delivery notice asking for a fee."
What to do. Carriers do not charge by text to redeliver. Check the tracking number on the carrier's own site, or wait; a real package comes back around.
High
A new friend, a mentor, an investment
What it looks like. Weeks of friendly messages, then a reason to send money: a medical bill, a customs fee, a plane ticket, or a trading platform with guaranteed returns that a friend recommends. The returns show on screen; the withdrawals never come.
What Office Guard Home says. "A romance or investment pitch turning to money."
What to do. Talk to someone you trust before sending anything to a person you have not met, or into any platform that promises returns. Say the plan out loud; that is usually enough.
High
A familiar name from an address they never used
What it looks like. Your daughter, your doctor's office, your church, but from a different email address than every message before. Often the first step of one of the scams above.
What Office Guard Home says. "A name you know, from a new address."
What to do. Reply to the address you already had, or call. Do not act on the new one.
High
A dangerous link
What it looks like. A link in a message that points at a site reported for phishing or malware, or at a look-alike of a site you use.
What Office Guard Home says. "A dangerous link in this message."
What to do. Do not click it. If you already did, change the password of whatever site it imitated, from the real site.
High
Mail from a known fraud origin
What it looks like. A message sent from a country under U.S. sanctions or on the FBI's list of fraud origins, which most people never correspond with.
What Office Guard Home says. "Sent from a known fraud origin."
What to do. Unless you know someone there, treat anything in the message as a scam, especially talk of money.