How to Handle Suspicious Text Messages

Pause before replying. Do not open an unexpected link or send personal, account, or payment information in response. A message can copy a real organization’s name while sending you to a different website. The displayed sender name or number is a starting clue, not proof that the organization sent it.

Read the request, not just the branding

Common stories include an account that will be locked, a package that needs a new address, a toll balance, or a payment you supposedly did not authorize. The wording varies; the important question is what the sender wants you to do. Be careful when a message asks you to open a link, call a supplied number, share a code, or pay immediately. The FTC describes these patterns.

Check the claim elsewhere

Use a known app, website, or phone number to contact the organization. If the message concerns a package or toll, check your account directly. For a bank alert, call the number on your card or open the bank’s app. Do not use a contact number from the text to verify that same text.

You can remove private details and use our text checker to see explainable warning patterns. It does not know who sent the text and cannot certify that a message is safe. The link inspector can display a URL’s hostname without visiting the site; compare that result with a known address yourself.

Report and remove

Your messaging app may have a report-junk option. In the US, the FTC says unwanted texts can be forwarded to 7726, then reported at ReportFraud.ftc.gov when appropriate. After verifying and reporting, delete the message or block the sender if that helps reduce interruptions. Blocking one number cannot stop all future spam.

If you clicked but entered nothing, read the phishing-link response guide. If you shared a password, code, card detail, or money, choose that specific situation in the recovery guide and contact the affected organization promptly.