Is this text a scam?
Paste the message and see its red flags in seconds. The checker looks for the signs consumer agencies warn about, from fake toll and parcel texts to “send me the code” tricks.
Checked on your device. The message is never sent to us or stored.
The 5 scam texts people report most
These five made up about half of all text scam reports to the US Federal Trade Commission in 2024, and people reported losing $470 million to scams that started with a text. The same stories run in the UK, Canada and Australia with local brand names.
- 1Fake parcel delivery. "Your package is on hold, pay a $1.99 redelivery fee." The fee is bait for your card details.
- 2Fake job offers. "Earn $300 a day rating products." You end up paying to unlock earnings that never arrive.
- 3Fake bank fraud alerts. "Did you attempt a $1,263 purchase? Reply YES or NO." A fake fraud team then calls you.
- 4Unpaid toll notices. "You owe $6.99 in tolls, pay today to avoid a fine." Real toll agencies do not work this way.
- 5"Wrong number" openers. "Hi, is this Jenny?" A friendly chat that turns into a crypto investment pitch weeks later.
How to spot a fake link
Read a web address from the right. The real website is the part just before the first single slash. In usps.com-track.xin/pay the site is com-track.xin, not USPS. That “.com-” trick is the signature of the biggest toll and parcel scam gangs: researchers counted about 194,000 such addresses since 2024.
- Short links (bit.ly and similar) hide where they go. Real alerts rarely use them.
- Cheap endings like .xin, .top or .bond are used far more by scam sites than real ones.
- A string of numbers instead of a name, like 185.12.34.56, is never a bank or courier.
- "Reply Y, then reopen the message" is a trick to switch iPhone link protection off.
The one rule that stops most scams
Never act on the message itself. Open the company's own app, type its website yourself, or call the number on your card or bill. A real problem will still be there. A scam will not.
Why scammers have your number
Most scam texts are sent in bulk to numbers from data leaks and sign-up forms. Every app and shop you give your real number to is one more place it can leak from.
Sources
- FTC Data Spotlight: top text scams of 2024
- FTC: got a text about unpaid tolls? It's probably a scam
- Unit 42: the global smishing campaign behind toll and parcel texts
- UK NCSC: how to spot scam messages
- ACCC Scamwatch (Australia)
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Scam patterns checked on 2026-09-30. The checker is a guide, not a guarantee.
Keep reading
Scam texts, answered
How can I tell if a text is a scam?+
Look for pressure to act now, a link you did not expect, a request for money, a code or your details, and a sender you cannot verify. Paste it into the checker above to see which red flags it has.
Is it safe to reply STOP to a scam text?+
No. Replying tells the scammer your number is active, and some scams ask you to reply so their link starts working. Report and delete instead.
Why do scam texts ask me to reply Y?+
iPhones switch off links in texts from unknown senders. Replying turns them back on. A real company never needs you to do this.
Someone asked me to send them a code I received. Is that a scam?+
Yes, always. That code logs into one of your accounts, often WhatsApp or Google Voice. Never share it, even with someone who says they are a friend.
What should I do if I clicked a scam link?+
If you entered card details, call your bank now using the number on your card. If you logged in anywhere, change that password and turn on two-step verification. Then report the text.
Does this checker store my messages?+
No. It runs entirely in your browser. The text is never sent to us or anyone else.
Can a text be a scam even if the checker finds nothing?+
Yes. Scammers keep changing their wording. If a message asks for money, a code or your details, check it through the company's own app or website no matter what.
Keep your real number out of it
Use a second number for sign-ups and codes, paid in crypto. No card, no email, no ID.