Got a Suspicious Message?
You decide. We’ll show you what to check.
Wire instructions that changed at the last minute. An unexpected email asking you to verify your identity by clicking a link. An IRS or Social Security “warning” by text. A package delivery problem with a fee. A surprise inheritance. A “we buy houses for cash” cold message you didn’t ask for. Before you click, send money, or share anything — we’ll generate a checklist of the specific things to verify for that kind of message.
Free, instant, and built around the patterns documented by FBI IC3, FTC, and CISA in their published consumer guidance. You stay the decider.
- Based on FBI IC3-reported fraud patterns
- Built by a Former Government Fraud Mitigation Contractor and Licensed Real Estate School
Show us your suspicious message
Screenshot is best · Takes about 30 seconds
Drop a screenshot or click to upload
Best for DocuSign requests, wire instructions, lender emails, fake invoices, and phishing messages.
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Upload a screenshot to continue. You'll be asked to agree to our Terms, AI use policy, and Privacy Policy before generating the checklist.
The messages that actually warrant a second look
Closing soon — and an unexpected email arrived
An unexpected change to wire instructions, account numbers, or closing details — especially at the last minute. A request to verify your identity through a link in an email rather than a channel you already use.
Cash buyer offer that seems too good
“We buy houses” cold messages, surprise out-of-state cash offers, or pressure to skip inspections and contingencies.
Landlord won’t meet, demands fast deposit
A rental listing priced below market, a property manager who’s “out of town,” or a request to wire your deposit.
IRS, HUD, FBI, or court “summons”
Threatening voicemails about back taxes, fake court orders, or claims you owe a federal agency money. Among the most-reported scam categories nationally.
“Fraud alert” texts and delivery problems
Bank or credit card “fraud verification” messages, USPS or FedEx delivery exceptions, package redirect requests.
Parent forwarded something concerning
An older parent received a sweepstakes win, an inheritance notice, a tech-support warning, or a “grandchild in trouble” call.
Don’t see your situation? Submit any unsolicited message — the checklist adapts to what you upload.
You also get hit — often.
Agents, brokers, loan officers, and title officers are high-value fraud targets. This tool helps you screen suspicious messages aimed at you, and gives you something concrete to share with clients during the most fraud-vulnerable moments of their transactions.
Cash buyer impersonation
Out-of-state or international “cash buyers” pushing for fast acceptance, refusing video calls, or sending suspicious proof of funds. Common pattern: the deposit clears, then bounces post-close.
Vendor invoice fraud
Photographers, marketing services, or coaching programs sending invoices for work you didn’t authorize, or for amounts larger than your agreement.
Fake commission checks & wire requests
Forged commission disbursement requests, wire instruction changes claiming to be from your broker, or buyer-funded escrow refund scams.
Lead generation scams
“Pre-qualified buyer” referrals demanding upfront fees, listing referral spam from unlicensed parties, or coaching programs targeting newer agents.
Seller impersonation (vacant land or absent-owner scams)
Out-of-state property owners contacting you to list a home — but they’re not actually the owner. A name verification step early in the relationship catches this.
Something to share with clients
Forward this tool to clients during their most vulnerable closing window. Demonstrates your diligence, protects them, and creates a documented verification step in their transaction record.
What we keep
The educational checklist we generate, plus a private link so you can return to it later. Session links are valid for up to 24 hours, then automatically deleted. We don’t keep your message.
What we don’t keep
Your pasted text and any screenshot you upload are sent to Anthropic Claude for real-time analysis and immediately discarded after the checklist is generated. Nothing is stored in our database.
The checklist is generated by AI, which can make mistakes. AI is good at noticing patterns humans miss when they’re stressed or rushed — that’s the value. It’s not good at making the final call on whether your specific message is fraud or legitimate. That’s your call. Treat every checklist item as something you verify yourself.
A checklist tailored to your message
A short, tailored set of verification steps for the kind of message you submitted. The example below is what a wire instruction email checklist looks like — every item is something you confirm yourself, not something we determine.
The checklist matches your message type
An IRS impersonation gets different verification steps than a wire transfer email. A rental scam is checked differently than a fake cash buyer. Here’s a sample of the message categories the tool handles.
Wire instruction emails
Real estate closings, escrow disbursements, vendor payments, commission wires.
Real estate impersonation
Fake title companies, fake agents, fake lenders, fake “your buyer” outreach.
Government impersonation
IRS back taxes, HUD claims, FBI warnings, court summons, jury duty notices.
Bank & delivery alerts
“Fraud verification” texts, package delivery exceptions, account suspension threats.
Cash buyer / wholesaler outreach
“We buy houses for cash” cold contacts, surprise out-of-state offers, predatory wholesaling.
Tech support & account security
“Your computer has a virus,” “Your Apple ID was compromised,” subscription renewal scams.
Romance & relationship pretexts
Online relationships requesting money, urgent travel emergencies, investment “opportunities” from a partner.
Family emergency scams
“Your grandchild is in jail,” “I lost my phone, send money,” forwarded urgent requests from “family.”
Other unsolicited contact
Sweepstakes wins, surprise inheritances, charity solicitations, job offers requiring upfront payment.
Three steps. No verdicts.
You submit, we generate the checklist, you verify and decide. The decision authority stays with you the whole way through.
You submit a screenshot or text
Your message goes to Anthropic Claude for real-time analysis. Content isn’t stored on our servers and isn’t used to train any AI model.
We generate your checklist
The AI produces specific verification steps based on the message type — wire instructions get wire-fraud checks, government impersonation gets agency-specific verification, rental scams get rental checks. All sourced from FBI IC3, FTC, and CISA guidance.
You verify, then decide
Work through the checklist. Each item is something you confirm yourself — usually with an independent phone call or a person you trust. The call to act, wait, or walk away is yours.
What this tool does not check
Being honest about the boundaries. The checklist we generate is based on what’s in your message and patterns documented in fraud reporting. For the technical checks below, you’ll need different tools or a security professional.
If your situation needs more than a checklist — a high-stakes wire transfer, a complex closing, a parent who’s already responded to a suspicious message, or a real estate transaction with unusual urgency — connect with a HFDCP™ Certified agent who can walk you through it directly.
Message Scanner is an educational AI-assisted tool operated by Home Fraud Defense™. The checklists generated are informational only, are produced by automated systems that can make errors, and are not legal advice, financial advice, or determinations of fact about any person or business. Submitted messages are processed in real time by Anthropic Claude and immediately discarded — not retained by Home Fraud Defense and not used to train any AI model. The tool does not replace human verification, licensed counsel, or independent confirmation of any communication.
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