Something doesn’t feel right
An email arrives that looks like it’s from your bank. A message from someone claiming to be a government agency. A deal that seems almost too good. A phone call from someone who knows your name and says there’s a problem with your account.
Your instinct says something is off. But you’re not sure enough to ignore it — what if it’s real and you miss something important?
That uncertainty is exactly what scammers count on. And in 2026, the fakes are good enough that even careful people get caught out.
AI won’t catch everything. But it’s a fast, useful second opinion when something feels wrong — and it’s available at any hour, for any situation, without having to explain yourself to anyone.
What this helps with
Use this when you receive an email, message, or call that feels off but you’re not certain. When you’re about to click a link and you want to check it first. When someone is pressuring you to act quickly and you want a moment to think. When you’ve seen something online — an offer, a charity, a news story — and you’re not sure if it’s legitimate. When you want to check whether a website or business is real before you hand over any information or money.
Try this
Open Claude, ChatGPT, or any AI tool and paste this:
“I’ve received something and I want to check if it’s legitimate before I respond or click anything. Here’s what it says: [describe or paste the content, removing any links]. Does this look like a scam, and what are the signs I should be looking for?”
Or if you want to check a website or business:
“I’m thinking about using this website or service: [describe it, including the web address if you have it]. What should I check to make sure it’s legitimate before I give them any personal information or payment details?”
What you’ll actually get back
Someone received an email saying their Netflix account had been suspended due to a billing problem. It looked exactly like a Netflix email — the logo, the colours, the format. There was a button to update their payment details.
Before clicking anything, they described the email to AI.
What came back: this is a classic phishing format. The signs to check — hover over the sender’s email address to see if it’s actually from Netflix or from a random string of characters. Hover over the link without clicking to see where it actually goes. Netflix and most legitimate companies will never ask you to update payment details by clicking a link in an email — they’ll direct you to log in to your account directly. The urgency and the threat of suspension are standard pressure tactics.
They checked the sender address. It was from a string of random characters with no connection to Netflix.
They deleted it. That thirty-second check saved them from handing their payment details to a scammer.
One of the easiest checks you can do yourself
Before you do anything else with a suspicious email — hover over the sender’s name.
The name displayed can say anything. “Netflix Support.” “Your Bank.” “Canada Revenue Agency.” Anyone can put any name there.
What matters is the actual email address behind it. Hover over the sender name and look at what appears. If it says something like nflx-billing-3847261@randomdomain.xyz or support@canada-rev-agency-notice.com — it’s fake.
Legitimate organisations send from their actual domain. Netflix emails come from @netflix.com. The CRA sends from @cra-arc.gc.ca. Your bank sends from their official domain — not a string of random numbers and letters.
On a phone, press and hold the sender name to reveal the address. On a computer, hover over it with your mouse.
This takes three seconds. It catches the majority of phishing emails immediately.
The patterns AI will help you spot
Urgency and pressure. Legitimate organisations give you time to think. If something demands immediate action or threatens consequences for delay, that’s a signal worth examining.
Requests for personal information. Banks, government agencies, and legitimate companies already have your details. They don’t need you to confirm them by email, text, or phone call.
Links that don’t match. The text of a link can say anything — the actual destination is what matters. AI can explain how to check where a link really goes before you click it.
Offers that don’t make sense. Significant prizes you didn’t enter for, investment returns that seem unusually high, deals that require you to act before you can think — these patterns repeat because they work.
Pressure to keep it secret. Any situation where you’re told not to tell family members, not to talk to your bank, or not to seek a second opinion is a situation designed to isolate you from people who would tell you to stop.
Before you buy something online
“I want to buy something from this website: [describe it or give the address]. What should I check to make sure it’s a legitimate business and that my payment details will be safe?”
AI will walk you through what to look for — secure connection indicators, contact information, return policies, how long the site has existed, and whether reviews appear genuine or manufactured.
When someone calls you
Phone scams are harder to check in the moment because the caller is live and the pressure is immediate. If something feels wrong, the right move is always to hang up and call the organisation back on a number you find yourself — not one the caller gives you.
After the call, describe what happened to AI:
“I just received a call from someone claiming to be from [organisation]. They said [describe what they told you]. Does this sound legitimate, and what should I do next?”
If you think you’ve already been scammed
“I think I may have fallen for a scam. Here’s what happened: [describe]. What should I do right now, and in what order?”
Verify it
AI is a useful first check — not a definitive authority. If you’re genuinely unsure whether something is legitimate, contact the organisation directly using contact details you find yourself from their official website. For anything involving money that may already have moved, contact your bank immediately. In Canada, scams can be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. In the US, report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. AI can help you think through the situation — official channels are where you take action.
Start with your instinct
If something feels off, that feeling is worth taking seriously. You don’t need to be certain something is a scam to pause and check.
Describe it to AI. Ask what the warning signs are. Take thirty seconds before you click, call back, or hand over anything.
That pause is usually enough.
What to read next
How to Use AI Safely Without Overthinking It
How to Use AI Safely – What Happens to What You Type
How to Use AI to Understand Things More Easily
Or visit the Decision Hub