• Don't Get Bunked!™

    Practical skills for a world full of questionable information.

    Use clear, repeatable steps to recognize misinformation, scams, deepfakes, and other forms of deception—and know what to check before you act or share.

    Created by adult educator and DEBUNK author Sam McCollough.

  • Why I Created Don't Get Bunked!™

    I almost fell for a scam once that could have cost me thousands. It was only because of my background in software development that I was able to spot it before it was too late.


    That experience helped inspire Don’t Get Bunked!™ Practical education designed to help people recognize deception before it costs them.

  • Why I Created Don't Get Bunked!

    I almost fell for a scam once that could have cost me thousands. It was only because of my background in software development that I was able to spot it before it was too late.


    That experience helped inspire Don’t Get Bunked!™ Practical education designed to help people recognize deception before it costs them.

  • Start Here

    Learn & Explore

    Access the DEBUNK eBook, Bunkproof in 30 Minutes™ course, the Bunkproof Toolkit™, printable guides, and reference materials—all free.

    Bring Don’t Get Bunked!™ to Your Organization

    Engaging, practical presentations can be adapted for libraries, senior centers, community organizations, schools, civic groups, and other audiences.

    Opens sammccollough.com in a new tab.

  • What You'll Find Here

    You’re not getting opinions — you’re gaining skills. Everything here is designed to help you check safely, evaluate claims, and spot scams or misinformation before they spread.

    📘 DEBUNK (eBook) — A clear guide to critical thinking and the principles behind recognizing misleading claims and questionable information.

    🎓 Bunkproof in 30 Minutes™ (Course) — A quick video walkthrough of phishing, fake news, deepfakes, and other forms of deception, using real examples.

    🧰 The Bunkproof Toolkit™ — A curated library of tools, checklists, printable guides, and reference materials for everyday use.

    You’ll build confidence in verifying claims — even when something feels urgent — using skills you can apply in everyday situations.

    Start in minutes — pause any time.

  • 📄 Trusted Fact-Check Sources Guide

    Reliable sources to help you check claims, scams, and headlines.

    Download this free one-page guide to fact-checking and misinformation resources, including ✔ IFCN-verified sources.

    Tip: Choose “Actual size” (100%) when printing.

    🔒 No email required.

  • Before & After: Spotting Phishing in Seconds

    Example bank email without annotations, used to teach phishing checks.

    Before — Looks Legit?

    I’ll walk you through a quick routine: confirm the sender, spot pressure words scammers use, and preview links safely.
    We'll look at a real example from everyday email and review when to delete, when to report spam, and when to go directly to the site/app.

    Same email annotated with three red flags: sender domain mismatch, urgent or threatening language, and a mismatched link shown on hover.

    After — What Changed:

    ① Sender name vs. domain ② Spelling/grammar

    ③ Urgency words ④ Hover to preview link

    ⑤ Wrong entity name ⑥ Fear/pressure tactic

    These are the same checks you’ll learn to run consistently in the course.

  • Before & After: Spotting Phishing in Seconds

    Here’s how the skills pay off — real example from the course.

    Example bank email without annotations, used to teach phishing checks.

    Before — Looks Legit?

    I’ll walk you through a quick routine: confirm the sender, spot pressure words scammers use, and preview links safely.
    We'll look at a real example from everyday email and review when to delete, when to report spam, and when to go directly to the site/app.

    Same email annotated with six red flags: sender domain mismatch, urgent or threatening language, and a mismatched link shown on hover.

    After — You'll spot:

    Who it’s from

    How it’s written

    Urgency and pressure language

    Link or entity mismatches

    These are the same checks you’ll learn to run consistently in the course.

  • Your Complete Bunkproofing System

    The Don’t Get Bunked!™ System is a complete, three-part approach to safer checking.

    The Don’t Get Bunked!™ System includes the eBook DEBUNK: Arm Yourself With the Tenets of Critical Thinking (future updated Second Edition included automatically), the Bunkproof in 30 Minutes™ video course, and The Bunkproof Toolkit™.

    After completing the course, you’ll be able to:

    • Spot phishing emails fast (sender → language → link preview).
    • Avoid fake “support,” payment-app, and impersonation scams.
    • Check claims with SIFT (Stop · Investigate · Find better coverage · Trace).
    • Verify images and videos before sharing.

  • Created by Sam McCollough

    Author of DEBUNK, creator of the Bunkproof Toolkit™, and educator with more than 25 years of experience helping adults learn complex topics.

  • Testimonials

    “I really like the site... it's clean and engaging. I think all the information is really helpful and clearly communicated. I wish you tremendous success with this project and genuinely hope that your work can help people get smarter at protecting themselves.”

    — Dennis O., Technology Solutions Architect

    “This system should be taught in schools. The checklists make it simple to spot scams before they get you. I even helped my mom avoid one last week.”

    — Albert B.

    “I used to second-guess every post and email. Now I just run Sam’s steps — quick, clear, and repeatable. It’s like having a truth filter I can actually trust.”

    — Alan S.

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