ScamWatch, powered by Retina™, is a Spending Settings feature built into your Visa® Prepaid Card that watches for merchants known for scams and can block a purchase before it goes through.
In this article, you'll learn what ScamWatch looks out for, where to find it, and how it works alongside any Merchant Exceptions you've already set up.
Where to find ScamWatch
ScamWatch is one of the top-line protections in Spending Settings. Purchases at merchants flagged by ScamWatch are blocked by default. You can find the setting in the Top line protections grouping, on the Spending Settings tab of the online dashboard or the Spending Settings page of the True Link mobile app.
What ScamWatch looks out for
ScamWatch is designed to catch merchants and charges that are highly likely to be unwanted purchases (e.g., fraud, or merchants that are particularly difficult to work with). It isn't designed to block purchases just because a merchant is unfamiliar. Here's what it looks for.
Suspected scammers
A suspected scammer is a merchant that typically isn't a real business; it exists to generate charges without selling anything of genuine value. Warning signs include:
- A website or storefront with little detail about what's actually being sold
- Vague "subscription" services (like generic "tech support" or "customer service" plans) or digital-content shops offering unclear products
- A website with nothing beyond the bare minimum, such as a privacy policy and a refund policy
- A pattern of complaints about unauthorized or fraudulent charges from the merchant
Questionable charities
A questionable charity isn't transparent about how donations are used or engages in questionable solicitation practices. ScamWatch takes into account factors such as:
- Poor ratings or low transparency from independent charity watchdogs like Charity Navigator, CharityWatch, and the BBB Wise Giving Alliance
- Charity names that imply support for causes very different from how the funds are actually used
- Complaints about solicitation practices (e.g., excessive calling that can take advantage of donors with memory loss)
- Charities that appear suddenly after a widely publicized disaster, with no track record
Sneaky subscriptions
A sneaky subscription is a recurring charge the cardholder likely didn't knowingly agree to, can't easily recognize on a statement, or can't easily cancel. Examples include:
- A "free trial" that quietly turns into a monthly charge, or a "just pay shipping" offer that becomes a recurring subscription
- A merchant name on the statement that's a random string of letters or numbers, or has nothing to do with what was actually purchased
- A service you can sign up for online but have to call to cancel, or charges that continue even after canceling
- A "$1.00 trial" that becomes a $40.00 monthly charge, or a fee that increases after the first payment
How ScamWatch works with your Merchant Exceptions
Because ScamWatch is part of Spending Settings, it works alongside the Merchant Exceptions you've already set. If you've set an exception for a specific merchant to allow it, block it, or put a limit on it, that exception still applies. For example, if you've allowed a merchant, purchases from that merchant will still go through even if ScamWatch would normally block them.
If ScamWatch blocks a purchase the cardholder wants to make, you can add the merchant as a Merchant Exception and allow purchases there. To see why a transaction was declined, see Review Reasons for Declined Transactions.
Please be aware
- ScamWatch isn't a substitute for your own settings. We recommend using it alongside your other Spending Settings and Merchant Exceptions, not in place of them, for more comprehensive protection.
- See something you don't recognize? If you see a transaction you don't recognize or believe is incorrect, contact our Customer Support team right away — we can help you review it and file a dispute. To learn more, see Disputing Fraudulent Transactions or Merchant Errors.
If you have any questions about ScamWatch or how it's protecting the cardholder, please don't hesitate to contact our Customer Support team.