Privacy and terms

Who we are

Is It a Scam? (¿Será Estafa?) is an independent project that helps people check whether a message might be a scam. Data controller: [your full name], [city], Colombia. Contact: [your email].

What happens when you use the checker

• The message you check is not stored. It is analyzed on the spot and discarded. We only count, without the text, how many messages came out high, medium or low risk.
• If you tap “Did we get it right?” and tick “share”, we keep a copy of the message with phone numbers, links and emails removed, to improve the checker and publish anonymous statistics about scams. If you don't tick it, we only keep your 👍 or 👎.
• Screenshots are read on your own phone. The image is never sent to our servers or anyone else.

Using your voice

If you tap “Say it out loud”, your phone turns your voice into text using your browser's speech recognition service (for example Google's in Chrome or Apple's in Safari), which may process the audio on their servers. We never receive or store the audio: only the text, which is analyzed like a typed message. “Listen to the result” uses your phone's own voice.

Family Guardian

• A son, daughter or grandchild (the “guardian”) can get a Telegram alert when their loved one checks a message that comes out red.
• It only works if the loved one accepts it on their own phone, and they can turn it off anytime from the page.
• For the guardian we store their name, phone number (for the loved one's “Call” button), preferred language and Telegram account. For the loved one we store no personal data: just a code on their phone.
• The alert says the type of scam, never the text of the message. The text only reaches the guardian if the loved one taps “Send them the message” and sends it themselves via WhatsApp.
• The guardian can delete their account and links anytime from their private page.

Reported numbers

• When you report a number, we store it hashed: it is not kept in any readable list and we never publish lists of numbers.
• A report is not an accusation. Scammers use stolen or spoofed numbers, so the owner may be another victim.
• The red alert only shows up when several different people report the same number, and reports expire after 6 months.
• If your number shows up by mistake, use “Is your number reported by mistake?” on the home page. We review every appeal and remove the number if we confirm you are the owner.
• Don't use reports to harm anyone. We may delete reports that look false or malicious.

Visit statistics

To know how many people use the site we count visits without storing your IP address and without our own cookies. We use a code that changes every day and can't tell who you are. We also store the device type (phone, computer) and which site you came from (for example, Facebook).

Advertising

This site may show Google AdSense ads to cover its costs. Google and its partners may use cookies to show ads based on your visits to this and other sites.

• You can see or change how Google personalizes ads at Google My Ad Center.
• More information: how Google uses information from sites that use its services.
• Ads are chosen by Google, not by us. We will never ask you for money, personal data or codes. If an ad looks like a scam, don't tap it and let us know at [your email].

Your rights

You can ask to access, correct or delete your data, or withdraw your consent, by writing to [your email]. We do not sell or share personal information for money. This service is operated from Colombia under Law 1581 of 2012; if you live in a US state with its own privacy law (such as California), you can use the same email to exercise the rights that law gives you, and we will answer within its deadlines. The site is not directed to children under 13.

Terms of use

• The checker is a helper, not a guarantee. It can be wrong: if in doubt, always verify another way (call the number you already know or open the official app).
• It does not replace your bank or the authorities. If you are in danger, call 911. If you sent money, call your bank right away and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. In Colombia, call 165 (Gaula) or 123.
• Don't type sensitive data of your own (passwords, card numbers) in the message box.
• Using the site to make false reports, overload it or try to get information about other people is not allowed.