10 Ways to Spot and Avoid Scams on Messaging Apps (2026)
Short answer: almost every chat scam follows one of a few scripts – a stranger who “wrote to the wrong number”, fake customer support, a request for a code, or an investment that is too good to be true. If you know the scripts and keep a few simple habits, you can stop nearly all of them.
- Never share a sign-in or verification code – with anyone.
- Urgency, secrecy and money requests are the three warning signs.
- Verify people with a call or a chat security code, not a profile picture.
- A messenger that does not need your phone number keeps strangers out.
The five scams you will meet most often
- The code request. “I sent you a code by mistake, can you send it back?” That code signs in to your account.
- Fake support. Someone claims to be from your bank, an app or a delivery company and asks you to “confirm your details”.
- The wrong-number friend. A friendly stranger starts chatting, builds trust over days or weeks, then introduces an investment or a crypto platform.
- The family emergency. “Mum, this is my new number, I need money urgently.”
- The prize or job offer. You have won something or been offered easy work – you just need to pay a small fee first.
10 habits that keep you safe
- Never share a sign-in or verification code – with anyone, for any reason.
- Verify the person, not the profile picture. Call them on a number you already know, or compare your chat’s security code together.
- Slow down when you feel rushed. Urgency is the scammer’s favourite tool.
- Do not move to another app or website because a stranger asks you to.
- Never send money to someone you have only met in a chat.
- Do not open unexpected links or files, even from friends – ask them first.
- Lock your app with a PIN so nobody can read your chats if your phone is borrowed or stolen.
- Use disappearing messages and view-once photos for anything private.
- Keep your phone number private. If a messenger does not need it, do not share it.
- Report and block – it protects the next person too.
How MyGalaxy helps
- No phone number needed – strangers cannot find you just because they have your number.
- End-to-end encryption for direct chats and groups, and encrypted calls.
- A 12-group security code in every chat, so you can check you are talking to the right person.
- App lock with your PIN, disappearing messages and view-once photos.
- Private notifications: when MyGalaxy is closed, alerts show only the name, never the message text.
Read more: How we protect your messages · A messenger without a phone number · Safety and reporting
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common messaging app scam?
Scams that ask for a sign-in or verification code. Anyone who gets your code can take over your account, so never share it - not even with someone claiming to be support.
How can I check I am talking to the right person?
Compare a security code with them in person or on a call. In MyGalaxy every chat has a 12-group security code you can check together.
Does MyGalaxy need my phone number?
No. You can sign up without a phone number, so strangers cannot find you just because they have your number.
Are MyGalaxy chats encrypted?
Yes. Direct chats and groups are end-to-end encrypted, and calls are encrypted too.
Written by the MyGalaxy team · 2 November 2026