Scam Text Messages: Examples and How to Report Them

Scam text messages are fake texts that try to trick you into giving up personal information or clicking a link. The FTC says scammers send fake messages claiming to have information about your account or a transaction. Do not click any links, and report the text by forwarding it to 7726 (SPAM) or at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

• Do not: click links or reply with personal details
• Do: contact the company on a phone number or website you know is real
• Report: forward the text to 7726 (SPAM), report it in your messaging app, and report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
• Check the sender: look up the number before you trust it
• Private: the sender is never notified when you look up their number

What are scam text messages?

They are texts built to look real so you hand over information. The FTC says scammers send fake text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information, and some claim to have information about your account or a transaction (FTC, 'How to Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages' (consumer.ftc.gov, read 28 Oct 2026)). The link or phone number in the text is the trap, so the safest move is to leave both alone.

The FTC also warns that legitimate companies will not ask for information about your account by text.

What do scam text messages look like?

They usually mix a worry with a link or a number to call. These are the kinds the FTC has warned about in its consumer alerts (28 Oct 2026):

The common thread is pressure to act fast and a link that is not from a number you already know.

Deepscanner phone lookup page where you can check the number a text came from.

What should you do with a scam text message?

1. Do not click any links and do not reply.
2. Check it another way. If the message might be real, contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real, not the one in the text.
3. Look up the sender's number to see the carrier, line type and location.
4. Report the text using the steps below.
5. Delete it once you have reported it.

These first two steps come straight from the FTC. The lookup is our addition, and it helps when the text claims to be from a company but the number is a VoIP line in another state.

How do you report scam text messages?

The FTC gives three ways (FTC, 'How to Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages' (consumer.ftc.gov, read 28 Oct 2026)):

• Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM). Copy the message and forward it.
• Report it in your messaging app. Most apps have a report spam option.
• Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Reports help carriers and the FTC spot patterns. Keep a screenshot of the text in case you need it later.

How do you stop getting spam texts?

The FTC says your phone may have an option to filter and block spam or messages from unknown senders (FTC, 'How to Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages' (consumer.ftc.gov, read 28 Oct 2026)). Turn that on, report each spam text, and block the number. Do not reply to texts that say "reply STOP" if the sender is a stranger, because a reply tells a scammer your number is live (this is general advice, not a quote from the FTC).

Search by name, email or phone number on deepscanner.app.

Can you find out who sent a scam text message?

Sometimes. A reverse phone lookup on the sending number shows the carrier, line type and location, and for some numbers the owner's name and other details. Scammers often use VoIP numbers or fake the number, so a lookup will not always lead to a person. Even then, a VoIP line that does not match the company named in the text is useful proof the message is fake. For more, read how to tell if a phone number is a scam and who called me.

Deepscanner is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Do not use it to make decisions about employment, housing, credit, insurance or tenant screening.