Digital life · Arvanto

Before You Tap

Phone and online scams: how to spot them and what to do

A practical guide to recognising phone and online scams, checking messages and knowing how to respond.

68pagesEnglishLanguage16practice scenarios

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Check pricing and availability on Amazon. Your purchase takes place there.

See real pages and the book’s contents

Cover of Before You Tap

What is inside

  • Clear steps to pause, check and respond when something feels wrong.
  • 16 fictional scenarios with explained answers for practice.
  • An immediate-help page if you have already shared information or access.
  • A protection routine, glossary and guidance on finding official help.

Is this for you?

For anyone who wants to approach unexpected calls, messages and links with greater confidence. Also for helping someone close to you without blame or overwhelm.

This is an educational guide. It cannot guarantee fraud prevention or recovery of money; procedures depend on your country and provider.

También disponible en español

Before you choose

Take a look inside

Three complete pages from the paperback edition. Enlarge them to read the text. The Kindle edition adapts the layout to your screen, so its pagination may differ.

Page 30: Act if someone can control your screen
Page 30

Act if someone can control your screen

The response chapter starts with interrupting access and getting help from another device, without waiting to understand every detail.

Enlarge page 30 · opens a new tab
Page 42: Practise with a new number in the family
Page 42

Practise with a new number in the family

A fictional scenario asks you to check who is writing through another channel before acting on a request.

Enlarge page 42 · opens a new tab
Page 54: Recognise a genuine notice too
Page 54

Recognise a genuine notice too

Another fictional scenario shows an issue in the actual order and explains which independent check supports that conclusion.

Enlarge page 54 · opens a new tab

Your route through the book

Condensed contents · paperback page numbers

  1. Immediate help and getting startedpp. 3–8
  2. Pressure, pausing and independent checkspp. 9–14
  3. Money, family, shopping and offerspp. 15–26
  4. Accounts and responding after an incidentpp. 27–35
  5. Helping someone without taking overpp. 36–38
  6. 16 scenarios with explained answerspp. 39–55
  7. A routine, glossary and official helppp. 56–64

What the book adds to the free articles

The articles address particular questions about messages, calls and payments. The book turns those checks into a route for reference and practice: what to do before responding, how to act if you have already shared something, and 16 scenarios covering false notices, genuine ones and situations that need further checks.

Back to the available formats

Keep exploring this topic