Screenshots and mixed evidence

Screenshots are often the fastest way to capture a suspicious ad, message, or checkout screen. They are also incomplete by nature. This guide explains how to make your submission as useful as possible for an Assayer report.

What screenshots can reveal

Good screenshots often show:

Visible brand names, product claims, and prices
Sender display names, subject lines, or message body text
Payment instructions, recipient names, and method restrictions
Urgency, secrecy, or threat language in context
Parts of a checkout flow when the address bar or URL field is visible

Assayer can run structured analysis on image submissions when enabled, and always applies deterministic checks to text extracted or pasted alongside the image.

What screenshots cannot prove

Screenshots alone may not establish:

The true destination of a link if the address bar is cropped out
Whether a sender email or phone number was spoofed
Backend store legitimacy, inventory, or fulfillment capability
That a page will remain unchanged after you capture it

Assayer reports state these limits explicitly. A screenshot with no URL is a common reason for an Uncertain label with a request for the missing link or full-browser capture.

Why surrounding context improves a report

Mixed submissions — screenshot plus pasted URL plus short note — give Assayer more to cross-check. Examples of useful pairings:

Marketplace listing screenshot + seller profile URL
Message screenshot + pasted full text from the same thread
Checkout screenshot + hostname from the address bar typed into the text field
Payment request image + explanation of who asked for payment and how

When elements agree, validating evidence is stronger. When they conflict — brand on screen versus hostname in the URL — warning evidence is stronger.

How to add the most useful missing information

When Assayer requests one missing item, prioritize:

Full URL — include scheme (https://) and full hostname when possible.
Payment screen — show method, recipient, and amount if you are deciding whether to pay.
Seller identity — profile handle, store name, or marketplace account page.
Complete message — not only the alarming sentence, but greeting, signature, and sender line when available.

Use Add Information on your report page when available, or start a fresh check with the combined evidence.

Avoiding unnecessary sensitive information

Submit what Assayer needs to evaluate the scam pattern — not your entire identity document, full card number, or unrelated personal files.

Crop or redact full account numbers if they are not relevant to the question
Omit passwords, MFA codes, and government ID numbers from uploads
Delete your report when you no longer need it; see the Privacy Policy for retention details

The browser extension captures the visible tab you choose — review what is on screen before submitting.