Account TakeoverHigh risk
Account Takeover and One-Time Code Fraud
Account takeover happens when a criminal gains access to one of your accounts, often by persuading you to share a one-time code or by reusing a leake…
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Fraud Intelligence & Digital Self-Defense
Know the playbook.
Recognize the play.
Learn how scams, fraud and social engineering work, how criminals manipulate people, and how to protect yourself before you become the target.
10 threat profiles25 glossary termsDefensive by design
Understand
How deception is built, step by step.
Recognize
The warning signs that show up first.
Verify
Independent checks before you act.
Protect
Habits that make you a hard target.
Report
Where to raise it, and how.
Featured threat
Vishing: Fraud by Phone Call
Vishing is voice phishing: a live call or voicemail that impersonates a bank, police force, or technical support to pressure you into moving money or sharing codes.
Scam of the week
Account Takeover and One-Time Code Fraud
Account takeover happens when a criminal gains access to one of your accounts, often by persuading you to share a one-time code or by reusing a leaked password.
Read the anatomyQuick scam check
Got a suspicious message, link or number? Run it through the Red Flag Radar and Scam Check before you act.
Recently added
New in the library
Fake Sellers & BuyersModerate risk
Marketplace Fake Sellers and Buyers
Marketplace scams use fake listings, overpayment tricks, and off-platform payments to take money without delivering goods, or goods without paying.
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Business Email CompromiseCritical risk
Business Email Compromise
Business email compromise is impersonation of an executive, supplier, or colleague to authorise a fraudulent payment or change bank details.
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Popular lessons
Start with the fundamentals
Case files
Latest investigations
Documented cases, labelled by source quality and verification status.
The Trading App With No Withdrawals (Composite Case)
An investor seeking higher returns, presented as a composite, who joined an investment platform introduced through a messaging group.
Crypto Investment Fraud
The Invoice That Changed Bank Details (Composite Case)
A small finance team at a mid-sized supplier, presented as a composite, handling routine supplier payments.
Business Email Compromise
The Job That Asked for a Fee (Composite Case)
A recent graduate, presented as a composite, who was seeking remote work and received an unexpected recruitment message.
Fake Job Offers
Learn your weak spots
Everyone has a lever. Find yours before someone else does.
Urgency, authority, fear, greed, loneliness, confusion. Scammers look for the lever that moves you fastest. Short courses and quizzes show you which ones work on you — and how to slow the decision down.
Defensive playbooks
Short checklists you can apply today: secure your accounts, verify a payment, check a marketplace seller.
Secure Your Accounts
A practical checklist for locking down your most important accounts.
Verify a Payment Request
Use this before sending money or changing payment details.
Check a Marketplace Seller
Reduce the risk of buying or selling on a marketplace.
Protect Your Phone Number
Your number is an identity key. Treat it that way.
Threat watch
Recent warnings
GlobalPOSSIBLE
AI-Assisted Impersonation Is an Emerging Concern
Synthetic voice and video are increasingly reported in impersonation attempts, though confirmed cases vary.
10 Feb 2025
United KingdomLIKELY
Nuisance Calls and Number Misuse Reports Continue
Regulators continue to receive reports of nuisance calls and misused numbers used in impersonation.
10 Feb 2025
GlobalLIKELY
One-Time Code Sharing Remains a Common Takeover Route
Calls that persuade people to read out a one-time code continue to lead to account takeovers.
10 Feb 2025
Threat alerts
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