Scam simulator · Texts and emails

The Friendly Wrong Number

A text meant for someone else arrives, and the sender is lovely. Weeks later, the new friend offers to show you how to trade. Practice each step, and see how a polite reply can lead to the loss of life savings.

About 7 minutes
7 decisions
Common in: US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand (by text message and chat app)

Why it matters: By the end of 2025 the FBI had warned 8,103 people that they were victims of crypto investment scams. 77% of them had no idea they were being scammed. (FBI, Operation Level Up)

It’s a quiet Sunday afternoon and you’re at home. Your phone is on the kitchen table.

Below, each step shows what you'd see, the choices people make, and why each one is safe or risky. The summary at the end tells you what to look for and what to do.

You'll see each message or call as it would really look. Choose what you'd do, and you'll find out why. Nothing here is real: no messages are sent and nothing you choose leaves your device.

Step 1 of 7 First contact

Your phone buzzes. It’s a text from a number you don’t know.
Practice screen Text message: from (415) 555-0162
(415) 555-0162Text message

This sender is not in your contacts.

They wrote: Hi Caitlin, I’m back from Napa. Can you drop off my dog tomorrow afternoon?2:07 pm
What do you do?

Not sure? Show a hint
Do you know this person? Does anything in the message really need an answer from you?
1. Reply “Sorry, I think you have the wrong number.” It’s only polite.
  
  Better, but not the safest
  
  It’s a kind thought, and most people would do the same. But any reply tells the sender that your number works and that a real person reads it. That’s all a scammer needs to start a conversation. The FTC says it’s not rude to ignore texts from strangers.
2. Reply to ask who it is, in case it’s someone I know with a new number.
  
  Risky choice
  
  Asking who it is opens a conversation, which is exactly what the sender wants. If someone you know has a new number, you can check with them on the number you already have.
3. Don’t reply. Report it as junk and delete it.
  
  Safe choice
  
  That’s the safest choice. Not replying gives the sender nothing: they don’t even learn that your number works. Reporting it as junk helps your phone company block the sender.
Red flags at this step

A text from a number you don’t know
A message that seems meant for someone else
A small, friendly request that invites a reply
What's really going on

A 71-year-old man in California got this very text. It led to a friendship with “Tina”, and ended with him losing $1 million from his retirement savings. The FBI says these scams are run by organized crime groups working from scam compounds overseas. Any reply, even “wrong number”, tells them your number works.
Step 2 of 7 The hook

Many people do reply to be polite. Suppose you did. A minute later, the sender writes back, and keeps writing over the next few days.
Practice screen Text message: from (415) 555-0162
(415) 555-0162Text message

This sender is not in your contacts.

You wrote: Sorry, I think you have the wrong number.2:15 pm

They wrote: Oh, I’m so sorry to bother you. You seem so kind, most people just ignore me. I’m Tina. I moved here for work last year and I’m still finding my way. Where are you from?2:16 pm

They wrote: Good morning, my friend. Here’s Bella, the dog I was asking about. She loves our new pool.Mon 8:02 am

They wrote: I love talking with you. Texting is so slow though. Can we move to a chat app? It’s encrypted, so it’s safer. I’ll send you the link.Thu 7:45 pm
Tina sends photos most days: her dog, a big house, a wine tasting, a new car.
Tina wants to move to a chat app. What do you do?

Not sure? Show a hint
How much do you really know about Tina? Why might she want to leave ordinary texts behind?
1. Download the chat app and add her. It’s nice to have someone to talk to.
  
  Risky choice
  
  It’s easy to see why people do. The messages are warm and they arrive every day. But US investment regulators say scammers move people to private chat apps to avoid being detected. You still know nothing real about Tina.
2. Keep texting, but don’t move apps and don’t talk about money.
  
  Better, but not the safest
  
  Holding back is sensible, but the friendship is what the whole scam is built on. These scams can build for weeks or months before money is mentioned, so the longer you chat, the more Tina will feel like a real friend.
3. Stop replying and block the number.
  
  Safe choice
  
  That ends it. A stranger who keeps chatting after a wrong number, and then wants to move to a private app, is showing two warning signs at once. Blocking the number stops you from being drawn back in.
Red flags at this step

A stranger who keeps chatting after you said “wrong number”
Flattery and lots of personal questions
Photos of a wealthy, easy life
Asking to move to a private chat app
What's really going on

The FTC warns that after a wrong-number text, scammers apologize and then try to keep the conversation going to befriend you. In the real California case, “Tina” said she was 45, ran a small energy company and invested in property, wineries and crypto. She moved the man to a chat app because it was “encrypted” and “safer”.
Step 3 of 7 Winning your trust

Suppose you’ve been chatting with Tina for a few weeks. She feels like a real friend now. One evening, the talk turns to money.
Practice screen Chat app message: from Tina
TinaChat app

They wrote: Guess what, I made $6,000 today before lunch. My aunt is an analyst at a big investment firm, and she has a system for short-term crypto trades.6:31 pm

They wrote: I only share it with people I trust. Do you have some savings, or an investment account? I could show you a small trade. Start with $1,000 and just watch.6:32 pm
Tina offers to show you a small trade. What do you do?

Not sure? Show a hint
Would you take investment advice from someone you’ve never met in person?
1. Try a small amount. $1,000 is money I could afford to lose, and she’s been so kind.
  
  Risky choice
  
  A small start is exactly how the plan is built. It feels safe, and it lets the scammers show you profits that aren’t real. The CFTC, a US regulator, says not to make investment decisions based on advice from anyone who contacted you out of the blue online or by text.
2. Say I’m not interested in investing, but keep chatting as friends.
  
  Better, but not the safest
  
  Saying no to the trade is right. But the friendship was built to reach this point, so expect the subject to come back, gently, again and again. Scammers are patient.
3. Stop. A friend I’ve never met who talks about investing is a warning sign. I block her and tell someone I trust.
  
  Safe choice
  
  That’s the moment to stop. When an online friend or love interest turns the talk to investing, especially crypto, regulators treat it as a classic warning sign. Telling someone you trust helps you stay firm if Tina tries again from a new number.
Red flags at this step

Someone you’ve only met online bringing up investing
A relative with inside knowledge or a “system”
Questions about your savings or accounts
An offer to show you how, starting small
What's really going on

This is often called a relationship investment scam. The FBI says scammers “develop a friendship or relationship before introducing a fraudulent investment opportunity in cryptocurrency.” Americans reported losing $7.2 billion to crypto investment scams in 2025, the biggest loss of any online crime reported to the FBI.
Step 4 of 7 Winning your trust

Suppose you do try it. Tina helps you download a trading app and send $1,000. Within days it has grown, and she suggests you take a little out to see how easy it is.
Practice screen App on a phone: Digital Asset Trading

Digital Asset Trading

Balance: $1,486.20
+48.6% in 3 days

Withdrawal complete: $100.00 has been sent to your bank account.

Your trading level: Silver. Deposit $10,000 to reach Gold and unlock higher returns.

Deposited
$1,000.00
Profit
+$586.20
Withdrawn
$100.00
Deposit more

The $100 really does arrive in your bank account the next day.
The app shows a big profit, and the $100 withdrawal really arrived. What do you think?

Not sure? Show a hint
Who controls the numbers on this screen?
1. It must be real. I got money back, so I can trust it.
  
  Risky choice
  
  This is the most convincing moment of the scam, and it’s meant to be. The scammers let you take out a small amount so you’ll trust them with a much larger one. The $100 came out of the $1,000 you sent. The profit is made up: the app shows whatever they want it to.
2. Ask Tina to prove the company is real.
  
  Better, but not the safest
  
  Tina will have an answer ready: screenshots, a license number, a story. None of it can be checked through her. The only proof that counts is what you find yourself, on an official register or by asking your own bank.
3. Look up the company on my country’s official investment register before I send anything else.
  
  Safe choice
  
  That’s a strong move. Most real investment firms must be registered, and you can check for free (see the list at the end). If a firm isn’t listed, or has a warning against it, don’t send anything more. Better still, talk to your bank or a licensed adviser you find yourself.
Red flags at this step

An app you were sent to by someone you met online
Very fast, very large profits
A small withdrawal that works, followed by a push to deposit more
“Levels” that reward bigger deposits
What's really going on

The trading platform is fake, even though the app may have come from a real app store. FINRA, which oversees US brokers, says these apps show a “legitimate-looking but falsified dashboard that shows your assets exponentially growing.” The CFTC says scammers “might even allow a target to withdraw a portion of their ‘profits’ to further gain their trust.” In one California case, a $15,000 deposit showed $24,000 of gains almost at once.
Step 5 of 7 The pressure

Suppose you’ve watched your balance grow for a couple of weeks. Now Tina has exciting news.
Practice screen Chat app message: from Tina
TinaChat app

They wrote: Big news. My aunt says there’s a window this week, the market is about to jump. Accounts with $50,000 or more get 30% returns.9:12 am

They wrote: You have a retirement account, right? Moving some of it is simple. I did it last year and it changed my life.9:13 am

They wrote: One thing: banks get nervous about crypto and try to block it. If they ask, just say the money is for a property deposit. And don’t tell your friends yet, people get jealous.9:15 am
Tina wants you to move retirement savings, and tells you what to say to the bank. What do you do?

Not sure? Show a hint
Why would an honest investment need you to give the bank a different reason?
1. Move some of my retirement money. The app has been working, and I don’t want to miss this window.
  
  Risky choice
  
  This is where losses become life-changing. The man in the California case wired $500,000 from his retirement account, then another $500,000. Taking retirement money out early can also bring a large tax bill: he was facing about $400,000 in taxes on top of his loss.
2. Send a smaller amount from my savings instead, just to be careful.
  
  Risky choice
  
  Sending less limits the damage, but any money you send now goes straight to the scammers. There’s no safe amount to put into a fake platform.
3. Stop. Anyone who tells me what to say to my bank is hiding something. I talk to my bank and my family first.
  
  Safe choice
  
  Exactly right. Your bank’s questions are there to protect you, and staff are trained to spot scams like this. Being coached to give the bank a false reason, or to keep an investment secret, is one of the clearest signs of a scam.
Red flags at this step

Pressure to act before a “window” closes
Being told to use retirement savings, a mortgage or a loan
Being told what to say if the bank asks
Being asked to keep it from friends or family
What's really going on

Once you trust the app, the pressure builds. A widow in California moved $672,000 out of her retirement account and took a $300,000 second mortgage, all of it wired to scammers overseas. The CFTC also warns about being asked to send money to a business that seems unrelated, such as a nail salon.
Step 6 of 7 The ask

Suppose you’ve added more, and now you try to take your money out. The balance says more than $83,000. Then this message appears.
Practice screen App on a phone: Digital Asset Trading

Digital Asset Trading

Balance: $83,410.00
Withdrawal on hold

Action needed: your withdrawal is on hold.

Before profits can be released, a 20% capital gains tax of $16,682.00 must be paid. For regulatory reasons, this tax cannot be taken from your balance.

Please pay within 72 hours to avoid your account being frozen.

Withdrawal requested
$83,410.00
Tax due (20%)
$16,682.00
Status
On hold
Pay tax now

Tina texts: “That’s normal, I had to pay it too. Pay it quickly or they’ll freeze the account.”
To get your money out, you're told to pay $16,682 in tax first. What do you do?

Not sure? Show a hint
Who normally collects tax: an investment app, or the tax office?
1. Pay it. It’s worth it to get $83,000 back.
  
  Risky choice
  
  Sadly, nothing will come back. Tax is paid to the tax office, not to a trading app, and the CFTC says real investments don’t demand extra fees before you can withdraw. After this payment there will be another fee, then another, or the account will simply be “frozen”.
2. Borrow the money from family so I don’t lose everything.
  
  Risky choice
  
  It’s natural to want to rescue what you’ve put in, and that’s exactly the feeling the scammers use. The SEC warns that paying these extra fees or taxes only adds to your losses. Borrowing would spread the loss to your family too.
3. Stop paying. Paying to get my own money back means it’s a scam. I call my bank now and report it.
  
  Safe choice
  
  This is the hardest step, and the right one. Paying to release your own money is the clearest sign of all. Call your bank straight away: the sooner a transfer is reported, the better the chance of stopping it.
Red flags at this step

A fee or tax you must pay before you can withdraw
“It can’t be taken from your balance”
A deadline and a threat to freeze the account
What's really going on

This is sometimes called the withdrawal wall. The CFTC says scammers claim you “must pay more to cover fees or taxes” before you can take money out. The balance was never real. The money you sent went to the scammers, and the numbers on the screen were only there to keep you paying.
Step 7 of 7 Afterwards

Suppose you’ve stopped paying. Tina’s messages stop too, and her account disappears. A few weeks later, someone calls.
Practice screen Phone call: caller ID shows (213) 555-0187
Incoming call

Caller ID: (213) 555-0187

Caller: “Good afternoon. I’m calling from a law firm that works with government agencies to recover money lost to crypto fraud. Your name is on a list of victims we’ve been given.”

Caller: “I can see you sent $51,000 to Digital Asset Trading in March. We can get it back, but there’s a retainer fee of $2,500, payable today.”
The caller knows exactly how much you lost. What do you do?

Not sure? Show a hint
How does the caller know about your loss? Did you ask anyone to contact you?
1. Pay the fee. They know the details, so they must be real.
  
  Risky choice
  
  Knowing your details doesn’t make them real. The FBI warns about fake law firms that target crypto-scam victims and know “the exact amounts and dates” of their transfers. They may be the same criminals, or have bought your details. Real help never starts with a fee.
2. Hang up. Report what happened myself, on official websites I type in, and tell my bank.
  
  Safe choice
  
  That’s right. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center says it “will never ask for payment to recover lost funds.” Report the original scam and this call too. Reporting is free, and it helps investigators track down the people behind it.
Red flags at this step

A call about money you lost that you didn’t ask for
The caller knows your exact loss
An upfront fee to get your money back
What's really going on

This is a recovery scam, a second scam aimed at people who have already lost money. The FTC says scammers buy and trade lists of people who’ve been scammed before. It also says government agencies and legitimate organizations “will never ask for money to help you get a refund.”

What really happened

There was no Tina, no aunt and no trading platform. An organized crime group sent the “wrong number” text to see who would reply. Every message after that was written to build a friendship slowly and then steer it toward money. The app was theirs, the profits were made up, and the small withdrawal was there to win your trust. The FBI calls this kind of scam “pig butchering”. It can be stopped at the very first text, simply by not replying.

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Summary · keep this

Friendly wrong number: what to look for and what to do

Remember: Don’t reply to texts from strangers, not even to say “wrong number”. And never invest on the advice of someone you’ve only met online.

What to look for

A text from an unknown number that seems meant for someone else
A stranger who keeps chatting, pays you compliments and asks about your life
A request to move to a private chat app
An online friend who talks about their investing success, or a relative with inside knowledge
An app or website you were sent to, showing fast, large profits
Pressure to add more, use retirement savings or borrow, and to keep it quiet
Being told what to say to your bank
Tax or fees to pay before you can take your money out

What to do

A text arrives from a number you don’t know: Don’t reply. Report it as junk and delete it. It isn’t rude.
An online friend brings up investing or crypto: Stop chatting. Don’t send money or download any app they suggest. Talk it over with someone you trust.
You want to check an investment firm or adviser: Look it up yourself on your country’s official register (see below). A quick web search isn’t enough.
You’re told to pay tax or a fee before you can withdraw: Stop. Don’t pay. Call your bank on the number on your card and report it.
Someone offers to recover the money you lost: Hang up. Real agencies never charge a fee. Report it through official websites you type in yourself.

If you've already paid, clicked or shared details

Don't be embarrassed. These scams are run by professionals, and acting fast gives you the best chance of stopping the damage.

Stop sending money, and don’t pay any tax, fee or “unlock” charge.
Call your bank straight away on the number on your card. Ask them to stop or recall any transfers. The sooner you call, the better the chance.
Report it (see below). Include the app’s name, web addresses, phone numbers, and the date and amount of each payment.
If you took money out of a retirement account, tell your accountant or tax adviser. Early withdrawals can bring a tax bill.
Expect a recovery scam. Anyone who contacts you offering to get your money back for a fee is a scammer.
Tell your family. These scams are run by professionals, and they catch careful, intelligent people.

Where to get help and report it

Show help for

United States

Money gone or card details shared? Call your bank or card company now, on the number on the back of your card.
Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and, for anything online, to the FBI at ic3.gov.
Aged 60 or over? The National Elder Fraud Hotline can help you report and recover: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1‑833‑372‑8311), Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm Eastern.
Free advice from trained volunteers: AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline, 877‑908‑3360. You don’t need to be a member.
Scam texts: forward them to 7726 (spells SPAM).
Gave out personal details? Get a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov and think about a free credit freeze.
Someone coming to your door to collect money? Call 911.
Check before you invest: look up any broker or adviser for free on FINRA BrokerCheck at brokercheck.finra.org.
Feeling low or overwhelmed? You can talk to someone free, any time: call or text 988.

United Kingdom

Money gone or card details shared? Call 159 to reach your bank safely (it works for most major banks), or use the number on your card.
Report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040 (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.
Tricked into a bank transfer? Ask your bank about a refund. UK rules cover most transfers up to £85,000 if you claim within 13 months.
Scam texts: forward them free to 7726. Scam emails: forward them to [email protected].
Free, confidential advice: Age UK Advice Line, 0800 678 1602.
Someone coming to your door to collect money or cards? Call 999.
Check before you invest: use the FCA’s Firm Checker and Warning List at fca.org.uk/scamsmart.
Feeling low or overwhelmed? Samaritans are there any time, free, on 116 123.

Australia

Money gone or card details shared? Call your bank now, on the number on your card or in your banking app.
Report it to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au. If it happened online, also report it to police through ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au.
Gave out personal details or ID? IDCARE gives free help: 1800 595 160.
Not sure what to do? The Australian Cyber Security Hotline is 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371). For police, call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444.
Scam texts: report them to Scamwatch. Telstra customers can also forward them to 7226; other providers may too, so ask yours.
Someone coming to your door to collect money or cards? Call 000.
Check before you invest: search ASIC’s Investor Alert List at moneysmart.gov.au. A company that isn’t on the list isn’t necessarily safe.
Feeling low or overwhelmed? Lifeline is there 24 hours a day on 13 11 14.

Canada

Money gone or card details shared? Call your bank now, on the number on your card.
Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: 1‑888‑495‑8501 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4:45pm Eastern) or online at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca. Tell your local police too.
Scam texts: forward them to 7726.
Gave out personal details? Ask Equifax and TransUnion to put a fraud alert on your credit file.
Someone coming to your door to collect money or cards? Call 911.
Check before you invest: see whether a person or firm is registered at aretheyregistered.ca, run by the Canadian Securities Administrators.
Feeling low or overwhelmed? You can talk to someone free, any time: call or text 988.

New Zealand

Money gone or card details shared? Call your bank now, on the number on your card.
Report it to Police on 105 (or 105.police.govt.nz) and to the National Cyber Security Centre at ncsc.govt.nz/report or 0800 114 115.
Free advice: Netsafe, 0508 638 723.
Scam texts: forward them free to 7726.
Gave out personal details or ID? IDCARE gives free help: 0800 121 068.
Someone coming to your door to collect money or cards? Call 111.
Check before you invest: search the Financial Markets Authority’s warnings and report investment scams to the FMA at fma.govt.nz/scams.
Feeling low or overwhelmed? Call or text 1737, free, any time, to talk to a trained counselor.

Ireland

Money gone or card details shared? Call your bank now, on the number on your card.
Report it at your local Garda station. In an emergency, call 999 or 112.
Scam texts: mark them as spam and block the sender. Texts from unregistered senders now show as “Likely Scam”.
Check before you invest: search the Central Bank of Ireland register at registers.centralbank.ie. Scam alerts from Irish banks are at fraudsmart.ie.
Feeling low or overwhelmed? Samaritans are there any time, free, on 116 123.

The rules that stop almost every scam

Hang up and call back on a number you find yourself: the back of your card, a bill, or the official website.
Never share a code sent to your phone, and never let anyone who contacted you take control of your computer or phone.
Never move money to keep it safe. No bank, police force or government agency will ever ask you to.
Gift cards, crypto, Bitcoin machines, wire transfers, cash couriers and gold are how scammers get paid. Anyone who asks for them is a scammer.
Secrecy and hurry are the giveaways. Anyone who tells you not to tell your bank or family, or to act right now, is working against you.
Tell someone. Talk it over with a family member, a friend or your bank before you pay anyone you didn’t plan to pay.

Phone numbers and web addresses were checked on 28 September 2026. They can change; if one doesn't work, search for the organization's official website, and please let us know.

Sources we checked

The people, numbers, companies and web addresses shown in this simulator are made up. The way the scam works is taken from real cases reported by police, regulators and consumer groups.

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The Friendly Wrong Number

The simulator

Step 1 of 7 First contact

Step 2 of 7 The hook

Step 3 of 7 Winning your trust

Step 4 of 7 Winning your trust

Step 5 of 7 The pressure

Step 6 of 7 The ask

Step 7 of 7 Afterwards