In today’s digital era, fraudsters aiming to trick you out of your money employ ever-evolving strategies. Fortunately, the first step in protecting yourself is to simply recognize the signs of a scam.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the red flags fall into four big categories. First, scammers often pretend they’re from an organization you know and trust. Beware of anyone contacting you on behalf of a government agency or another large entity you know, such as the Social Security Administration, the IRS, Medicare, utility and tech companies, and large charities.

Second, the FTC warns that scammers often try luring victims by suggesting there’s a problem to solve or a prize to be claimed. They may say there’s an issue with your account that requires verifying bank or credit card information. Or they may use scare tactics, saying you owe money, that you’re in trouble with the government, or that a family member has had an emergency. Saying you’ve won a lottery or sweepstakes requiring bank information to deposit the prize is also common.

The third red flag is if they impose significant time pressure on you. Because they want you to act before thinking, they may suggest that if you don’t act fast, you could be sued or arrested, could lose your license, or could suffer a computer hack. It’s also common to pressure you to stay on the line with them, so they can get you to act without verifying their story.

Lastly, a fraudster will have specific ways they want you to pay. Many will ask you to send money to a transfer company, or to buy a gift card and share the access numbers. Some may even send you a fake check and ask you to transfer money to them to cover the check amount.