Pay to guarantee approval
Payment is tied to a promised outcome
Stop and verify independently
Pause the risky request before sending money or data
A convincing logo does not settle who is asking for your money. Start with the requested action: paying to guarantee approval, using an unusual payment route, or sharing sensitive information with an unidentified recipient.
Bottom Dollar Payday is not the lender. This page helps prepare and compare decisions; it does not submit an application or access accounts or application records.
Send gift-card codes or cryptocurrency
Recovery can be difficult and the recipient may be unclear
Do not send; contact the relevant institution if already sent
Give a bank password in a message
Recipient and access scope are not established
Use only an independently verified process
Choose the warning that needs attention
Do not enter names, passwords, account numbers or suspicious links. One serious warning deserves attention; it is not averaged against reassuring signs.
Method, privacy and limits
The selector returns steps for your answer. It does not scan websites, verify senders or calculate a safety score. It does not send or store the selection. [F09]
Choose what needs protecting first
You have not paid or shared documents
Pause the requested action while you identify the sender. Keep the offer and contact details so you can compare them with the creditor’s independently obtained information.
You already sent a payment
Contact the bank or payment service through its official channel promptly. Ask about the transaction, protective steps and whether recovery is possible. No tool here can reverse a transfer or guarantee reimbursement.
You shared a password or identity information
Contact the affected account provider using a known website or number. Explain exactly what was shared and follow its security process. Do not let the person who contacted you direct the recovery process.
Look at the promise attached to the fee
The FTC warns about advance-fee loan scams that demand payment while guaranteeing access to credit. The important distinction is not merely “a fee exists”: legitimate lenders can charge certain application or appraisal fees, but paying a fee does not legitimately guarantee approval. [F09]
| Request | Why it needs scrutiny | Immediate next step |
|---|---|---|
| Pay to guarantee approval | Payment is tied to a promised outcome | Stop and verify independently |
| Send gift-card codes or cryptocurrency | Recovery can be difficult and the recipient may be unclear | Do not send; contact the relevant institution if already sent |
| Give a bank password in a message | Recipient and access scope are not established | Use only an independently verified process |
| Pay before seeing the creditor and agreement | Basic transaction identity is missing | Ask for the written offer and legal entity |
Separate a strange message from a real account
A message can mention a company you genuinely used and still be unauthorized. Do not confirm identity by calling only the number in that message. Open the official website yourself or use a number from your existing agreement. Ask whether the message, amount, recipient and new payment instructions originated with the business.
If you have no agreement and no identified creditor, avoid describing the message as a real overdue loan until its basis has been checked.
Keep a compact evidence record
Preserve enough detail for the institution or authority to investigate without publishing sensitive data.
| Evidence | Save privately | Do not share publicly |
|---|---|---|
| Message | Sender, time, text and claimed business | Identity numbers or documents included in the thread |
| Payment | Receipt, amount, date and recipient | Full card or bank credentials |
| Offer | Stated terms and promised result | A completed application containing personal records |
| Follow-up | Case reference and official response | Passwords or security codes |
Use the correct official route
For an advance-fee scam concern, follow the reporting guidance on the FTC source below. For a financial-product complaint, use the CFPB’s official complaint route. A license or identity discrepancy belongs with the appropriate regulator or registry as well. Reporting does not guarantee recovery or automatically pause a legitimate payment obligation. [F09] [F12]
Do not mistake absence of warnings for a pass
This checklist covers common warning patterns, not every form of fraud. It does not inspect the actual website, examine a contract or verify a bank account. If none of the choices describes the message, continue with the lender-identity and license checks rather than treating the result as “safe.”
Also separate fraud from cost: an identifiable provider can still offer an expensive or unsuitable product. Review net cash, total payments and your budget after identity is resolved.
Protect the next step from a second payment demand
Keep follow-up contact within verified channels. Do not pay someone who claims that another advance fee will guarantee recovery of money already lost. If an electronic withdrawal is involved, review the ACH authorization and stop-payment process with your institution; stopping a debit and resolving a debt are different actions. [F12]
Questions before continuing
Does every upfront charge prove a scam?
No. Context and the actual written transaction matter. A payment demanded to guarantee credit is a specific warning, while some legitimate applications can involve fees. The tool does not decide a legal finding.
Does HTTPS mean the offer is genuine?
An encrypted connection alone does not establish the identity, authority or honesty of the business making an offer. Verify the recipient and transaction separately.
Can this checker recover money?
No. Contact the bank or payment provider directly. The page helps organize the issue and evidence; it cannot reverse transactions or promise recovery.
Related decisions
Sources and scope
Sources describe rules and resources; they do not endorse Bottom Dollar or certify listed businesses. Numerical examples are calculations, not offers.
