How to spot a scam text before you tap
Scam texts have gotten good. They use real company names, real logos, and believable amounts. But almost all of them rely on the same handful of tricks, and once you know them, they're easy to spot.
1. A clock is ticking
"Pay within 24 hours." "Final notice." "Your account will be suspended." Real companies rarely give you a same-day deadline by text. Scammers do it on purpose, because a rushed person doesn't stop to check.
2. The link looks almost right
A message from "E-ZPass" that links to ezpass-tollpay.info, or a "bank alert" that points to a strange web address, is the biggest red flag of all. Toll agencies and banks don't text you links to pay. If you think the message might be real, open the company's website or app yourself and check from there.
3. They want an unusual payment
Gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or Zelle to someone you don't know are scammers' favorites because the money can't be pulled back. No government agency, utility, or legitimate business will ask you to pay this way.
4. They ask for a code or password
No real company will ever ask you to send back the verification code they just texted you. That code is the key to your account. Anyone who asks for it is trying to break in.
5. "Keep this between us"
Being told not to talk to your bank, your family, or the police is a scam every single time. Cutting you off from people who could warn you is how the trick works.
6. It's too good to be true
$900 a day for rating products, a prize from a contest you never entered, or a refund nobody owed you. The bigger the promise, the more careful you should be.
Already clicked or paid?
Don't be embarrassed. These scams are built by professionals. What matters now is speed:
- Paid by card: call the number on the back of your card right away and report the charge as fraud.
- Sent money through your bank or an app: call your bank immediately and ask them to stop or recall the payment.
- Typed a password: change it on the real website, plus anywhere else you use the same password, and turn on two-step verification.
- Shared your Social Security number: freeze your credit for free with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Then report it. Forward scam texts to 7726 (it spells SPAM), and file a report at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Reports help warn other people.
If you're not sure about a message, paste it into Second Look, a free scam checker Arun built. It highlights the warning signs and tells you what to do next.