Checks common warning signs only. It can miss scams and flag genuine messages. Not advice.
Everything you paste, scan or upload is checked in your browser and isn't sent to us.
Reality Check: paste a message, see the red flags
Got a message, link or phone number you're not sure about? Paste it in the box. We work out what it is and look for common warning signs, then explain each one.
Reality Check looks for common warning signs. It can miss scams and can flag genuine messages. It's general information, not legal, financial or security advice. If in doubt, contact the company or person on a number or website you already trust, not the one in the message.
This is based on common warning signs only. It can't tell you who sent it or prove anything is real.
Reality Check looks for common warning signs. It can miss scams and can flag genuine messages. It's general information, not legal, financial or security advice. If in doubt, contact the company or person on a number or website you already trust, not the one in the message.
The message, with the warning signs marked
What we found
About the link
About the phone number
More about this number and what to do
Spanish mobile ranges: Origen de los datos: Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC), as included in Google libphonenumber 9.0.42 (data file dated 22 October 2026). Converted to JSON. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. The CNMC does not take part in, sponsor or endorse this site.
What to do now
- Don't reply, don't open links and don't call numbers in the message.
- Contact the company or person on a number or website you already trust: from your card, a bill or their official app.
- If you shared bank details, a code or a password, call your bank straight away on the number on your card, and change the password.
- Keep the message as evidence, then report it:
Portugal
Spain
- Free advice: INCIBE cybersecurity helpline, call 017
- How to report it (INCIBE guide)
- Report to the Policía Nacional
- Guardia Civil online office
United Kingdom
Check something else
Who called me? Check a phone number
We never show who owns a number. Private owners' names are personal data, and we hold no directory.
QR code checker
Scan with your camera or choose a photo. See the full content and some automated signals before you open anything. Nothing is uploaded.
Password checker
See how strong a password is, and whether it appears in known data breaches. The password never leaves your device.
Is this video old? Look for earlier copies
Old clips are often passed off as new.
How it works
- You paste a message or choose a screenshot. A screenshot is turned into text in your browser by an open-source text reader (Tesseract).
- Our rules look for warning signs that show up again and again in scam messages: pressure to act fast, requests for codes, payment by gift card or crypto, small "fees", odd or shortened links, a link that doesn't match the company named, and the "Hi Mum" pattern. They work in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
- Each sign is marked inside the message, with one line on why it matters. Nothing is sent to us, and no AI decides anything.
- Rules can't see everything. A message with no red flags can still be a scam, and a real message can trip a rule. Use the result as a prompt to check, not as an answer.
Questions
Can Reality Check tell me a message is real?
No. It looks for common warning signs. It can miss scams and can flag real messages. If in doubt, contact the company or person on a number or website you already trust.
Is my message uploaded?
No. Your message and screenshot are checked in your browser and aren't sent to us. The text reader for screenshots is downloaded from this site the first time you use it.
Which languages does it understand?
English, Portuguese (Portugal) and Spanish. Screenshots are read in the language of the page plus English.
What should I do if I already clicked a link or paid?
Call your bank straight away on the number on your card, change any password you typed in, and report it using the links under "What to do now". Keep the message as evidence.
Why do the examples use company names?
Criminals often pretend to be well-known companies such as CTT or MB WAY. Our examples are made up to show the warning signs. The companies did nothing wrong.