Who: The FTC collects reports of text and phone scams.
When to use: Use for fraudulent or deceptive text messages.
What to prepare:
- Screenshot of message
- Phone number
- Date
Go to FTC ReportFraud~5 min
Category: Online & communication
Smishing (text message scams)
Important
Do not click links or reply to unsolicited texts. Banks, delivery companies, and government agencies do not ask for payment or personal details by text.
How it often plays out
James receives a text: “USPS: Your package is held. Pay $2.99 to release—[link].” He clicks, enters his card to “pay the fee,” and never sees a package. The text wasn’t from USPS. When James checked his statement later, he saw not just the fee but hundreds of dollars in charges he never made. Scammers send millions of these fake delivery messages every day; the fee page was a front to steal his information.
How to spot it
Common red flags: pressure to act immediately, requests for payment by gift card or wire, offers that seem too good to be true, or unsolicited requests for your personal or financial details.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Save the message (screenshot) and the number it came from.
- Report to the FTC and, if you clicked a link or lost money, to IC3.
Don't
- Click links or reply to the text.
- Give codes, passwords, or payment info.
Summary & what to do
Smishing uses fake text messages to steal personal or financial information or trick you into clicking malicious links. Report texts that pretend to be your bank, a delivery, or a prize.
What to do right now
- Do not click links or reply. Do not give codes, passwords, or payment info.
- Save the message (screenshot) and the number it came from.
- Report to the FTC and, if it involved a fake link or loss, to IC3.
Where to report
Who: The FBI's IC3 handles internet crime.
When to use: Use when you lost money or shared sensitive info via a link in a text.
What to prepare:
- Message
- URL if you have it
- What happened
Go to IC3~10 min
Frequently asked questions
- What if I already clicked a link in the text?
- Do not enter any information. If you entered payment or account details, contact your bank or card issuer immediately. Change passwords for any accounts you may have used. Report the message to the FTC and IC3.
- How do I report a scam text?
- Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM). Save a screenshot and note the number and date. Then report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to IC3 if you lost money or shared sensitive info.