Get help with PlainScam — an offline, plain-language scam-education app.
PlainScam is a plain-language, pattern-recognition scam-education app for iOS and Android. It packs over 1,100 free and Pro guides across 35 modules — phone/robocall, SMS, email/phishing, tech-support, government/tax impersonation, delivery, romance, crypto, investment, and elder/family-targeted scams among them — plus real, interactive tools: a decision tree for live pressure moments, a message/call pattern-checker, a numeracy gut-check tool for "is this return realistic," quizzes, checklists, red-flag scorers, a personal log, a shareable card generator, and reminders. It's 100% on-device, works fully offline, and never monitors your real accounts, calls, or messages.
Yes, on both platforms — PlainScam is published on Google Play and on the App Store, both now including the native-tools update (live camera Scam Scanner, Message Risk Analyzer, Link Safety Checker, Caller/Number Verifier, and Cyber Security tools).
Yes — completely. Every guide, decision tree, quiz, checklist, scorer, and tool works fully offline. The only thing that ever talks to the network is an optional Background Sync (or manual "Sync Now") that downloads a static, read-only content file when a newer version is available — entirely optional, and off doesn't affect anything else.
Yes. PlainScam has no account, no login, and no company-run server. Bookmarks, personal logs, checklist progress, and reminder preferences are stored only in a local database on your device and are never uploaded anywhere. Settings > Delete All My Data clears all of it, in one step, at any time. See our Privacy Policy for details.
No, and it's not designed to. PlainScam is an educational, pattern-recognition tool — it never has access to your real accounts, calls, or messages. Its checker tool works by you pasting text or describing what you heard/read, entirely on-device; it never monitors anything automatically.
The core protection modules (phone/robocall, SMS, email/phishing, tech-support, government impersonation, delivery scams, the universal pressure-tactics module, and the real-time decision-support tools) are free, permanently. PlainScam Pro is an optional subscription that unlocks specialized-depth modules — crypto, investment, banking, romance, and business-fraud scams among them.
A lightweight, scam-specific slider tool: enter a promised annual return or interest rate, and it compares it against plausible real-world ranges (savings/bonds, stock-market averages, and clearly-unrealistic territory), flagging the "guaranteed + high return" combination specifically since that pairing alone is a strong fraud signal. It's a gut check, not investment advice.
Paste a suspicious text message or email, or describe what a caller said, and it's checked entirely on-device against PlainScam's bundled scam-pattern library — nothing you paste is ever sent anywhere.
Yes. More > Reorder Modules lets you move your most-relevant modules to the top of Home (with a one-tap reset back to the curated default order), and Settings > Notification Preferences lists every reminder the app can send, each toggleable from a single screen.
Full VoiceOver/TalkBack support on every interactive tool, Dynamic Type plus an independent in-app Text Size control, Dyslexia-Friendly Text, Reduce Motion, a Color-Blind-Safe Palette, a High Contrast Mode, adjustable read-aloud speaking rate, and Dark/Light/System appearance. See the in-app Accessibility Statement (Settings) for the full, honest current status.
The core protection modules are free, with no ads. PlainScam Pro is an optional subscription for specialized-depth modules — see Settings in the app for current pricing.
Try these steps:
1. Force-close and reopen the app.
2. Restart your device.
3. Make sure you are running the latest version from Google Play or the App Store.
4. If the issue persists, use the "Report an issue with this guide" link on the relevant guide, or contact us below with your device model, OS version, and a description of the problem.
PlainScam is in active development for both iOS and Android. Check back here for real download links once it's submitted and live.
Bug reports, feature requests, or questions about the app. We read every message and respond as quickly as possible.
Business, partnership, or general inquiries about PlainScam.
Disclaimer: PlainScam is an educational, pattern-recognition tool, not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or law-enforcement advice. If you believe you are a victim of fraud, contact your bank, local authorities, or (in the US) the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov as soon as possible.