Scam taxonomy
All scam categories CheckKaroo tracks
A production-ready catalog for reporting, evidence moderation, search signals, trust scores, and fraud intelligence APIs.
Coverage
49
detailed scam categories across payments, identity, account access, marketplace, property, jobs, investment, support, and extortion patterns.
Report a scamRelationship
3 reportable patterns
Dating app scam
Fake dating profiles that build trust and push money, gift, travel, or private media requests.
Matrimonial scam
Fraudulent marriage profiles using family trust, urgency, and fake background claims.
Romance scam
Long-con emotional manipulation used to extract money, gifts, credentials, or intimate media.
Payments
4 reportable patterns
Payment fraud
Fake payment links, UPI handles, QR codes, collect requests, refunds, and transfer deception.
UPI QR fraud
QR codes or UPI requests designed to make users pay when they think they are receiving money.
Bank account mule alert
Bank accounts used to receive, route, or cash out scam proceeds.
Subscription and autopay scam
Hidden subscriptions, UPI mandates, trial traps, recurring charges, or cancellation fraud.
Investment
3 reportable patterns
Crypto scam
Fake crypto exchanges, tokens, wallet traps, recovery agents, mining schemes, and pump groups.
Investment fraud
Fake trading apps, advisors, dashboards, groups, and guaranteed-return schemes.
Telegram trading fraud
Telegram groups promising trading profits, insider calls, crypto returns, or paid signals.
Work
3 reportable patterns
Job scam
Fake offers collecting registration fees, equipment charges, documents, or bank credentials.
Task and rating scam
Part-time task schemes that pay small amounts first and then demand deposits.
Work from home scam
Remote work offers using fake onboarding, deposits, training fees, or account misuse.
Identity
4 reportable patterns
Fake identity fraud
Stolen, synthetic, or false identities used to bypass trust and verification.
Social media impersonation
Cloned accounts or fake pages used to deceive followers, friends, customers, or communities.
WhatsApp impersonation
Fake WhatsApp accounts pretending to be family, bosses, friends, officials, or support teams.
Deepfake impersonation
AI-generated voice, video, or images used to impersonate real people or create false trust.
Account Access
6 reportable patterns
SIM swap fraud
Mobile number takeover used to intercept OTPs and access banking, email, or social accounts.
Account takeover
Unauthorized control of email, social, wallet, marketplace, or banking accounts.
OTP and credential theft
Scams that trick users into sharing OTPs, PINs, passwords, card data, or recovery codes.
Phishing link scam
Fake links that steal logins, card details, OTPs, personal data, or payment credentials.
Remote access app fraud
Scammers make victims install screen-sharing or remote-control apps to steal money or data.
KYC update fraud
Fake bank, wallet, telecom, or account KYC warnings used to steal credentials or money.
Delivery
2 reportable patterns
Marketplace
5 reportable patterns
Instagram store scam
Fake Instagram shops collecting advance payments for products that never arrive.
Marketplace seller fraud
Sellers who take advance payment, ship fake goods, or disappear after order confirmation.
Marketplace buyer fraud
Fake buyers using QR tricks, courier pickup claims, chargebacks, or overpayment traps.
E-commerce refund scam
Fake refund or order support links that steal payment credentials or trigger transfers.
Vehicle sale scam
Fake vehicle listings, army officer claims, transport fees, booking deposits, or RC misuse.