IS IT A SCAM? Money Recovery Scams - A SCARS Institute Scam Detection Diagnostic

Your Privacy Is Protected

We never see your identity

Your answers are processed in your browser. Only you see any identifying information about you. Nothing about you or anyone you are helping is stored.

De-identified data supports research

With your permission and your identity removed, your de-identified answers are sent to the SCARS Institute for scientific research only. Data is never shared with third parties.

Save your work and return later

You have the option to save your work and return later as you wish. Each finished section is saved to the SCARS Institute under a resume code, without your identity. Your resume code is the only way to bring your answers back, so keep it somewhere safe and treat it like a password.

The SCARS Institute provides this diagnostic to help people recognize money recovery scams, whether they have been offered help getting lost money back or are worried about someone they care about. You can save your result to share with a trusted person, your bank, or law enforcement.

I give my consent for my fully de-identified assessment data to be used for research purposes only. I understand that all personal identifiers have been removed from my responses, this information will not be shared with any third parties, and my participation is completely voluntary.

Start or Continue

Twenty-five Yes-or-No questions in five sections. Most people finish in ten minutes. First, you will choose whether this is about you, or about someone you care about. If you need to stop, your answers are saved at the end of each section under a resume code.

Start the diagnostic

You will receive a resume code so you can stop and return on any device.

Enter a resume code

Pick up where you stopped, or bring back a finished result from the past 90 days.

Which Describes You?

Choose the one that fits. The questions and the advice are written for your situation.

Who are you worried about?

Who Are the "Helpers"?

Two quick questions. They do not change the score; they show which kinds of fake recovery your answers match, with what to know about each.

Please Note. This diagnostic was developed by the SCARS Institute from its work with tens of thousands of scam victims. It is a screening tool, not legal or financial advice. A high score identifies a probable scam in progress. A low score does not prove an offer is real: never pay anyone upfront to recover lost money, whatever the score.

Why this matters

Answer Yes or No to continue

IS IT A SCAM?