Work through it
Why these twelve, and what they do not stop
The problem it solves
The least reliable way to spot an impersonation is by looking carefully at it. A well-built fake survives being stared at. So nothing on this list says "check for anything unusual" — every item is a concrete action you can either perform or not.
How the four hard requirements were chosen
They correspond to the four things impersonation depends on: getting a link in front of you, disguising a domain, bypassing the app store, and contacting you first. Break any one of those and most techniques stop working. The remaining eight are reinforcement, and they sit lower in priority for a reason.
Why "enter through a bookmark" comes first
Because it converts "judge this every time" into "judge this once". Confirm the address once, bookmark it, and you never again have to make that judgement while tired, rushed, or under pressure — which is exactly when scams are designed to operate.
Who the copy button is for
You. Paste the outstanding items into a note and pick them up later. The button sends nothing anywhere, and the page does not record what you ticked.
What it does not stop
Two things: platforms you sought out yourself that were never legitimate, and relationship-built fraud, where nobody impersonates anyone and the platform came from "your friend". For the latter see the long con.
What to read next
- Three checks on whether it is real — the full reasoning behind each item.
- Three things to set up on day one — the account layer.
- Scam script checker — if you are mid-conversation with someone.