untrappable

PayPal text scam: is that payment alert real?

Editorially reviewed · Last updated July 16, 2026

Yes — this is a scam. PayPal doesn't text you links to cancel a payment — real activity only shows in the app or at paypal.com.

Text Message · Today 9:52 AM
from +1 (786) 555-0129
PayPal: A payment of $312.48 to Digital Depot LLC is pending on your account. If you did not make this purchase, cancel it now: paypal-alerts.info/cancel
The Text message, as received

Other versions you might get: “Your account has been limited,” a code you never requested, or a fake refund text after a real purchase. The email version — the fake Norton invoice — is the PayPal email scam.

What to do right now

  1. Don't tap the link. Don't reply — even “STOP” confirms your number is live.
  2. Check the real way: open the PayPal app or type paypal.com yourself. The “pending payment” won't exist.
  3. If you entered your PayPal login: change your password at paypal.com immediately, turn on two-factor, and review linked cards and recent activity. If you entered card details, call your bank.
  4. Report it. Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) and the phish to phishing@paypal.com, then file at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
  5. Delete the message.

How to make sure it never bites you

Your number is on a bought list — the fake charge is blasted to millions hoping a slice panic-tap. The app-check habit beats every version of this. To cut the volume, see how to stop spam texts for good.

Untrappable · Public service advisory

Stop the next one at the source

You got this because your details are on lists that get bought, sold, and leaked. You can't unspill that, but you can make it useless to a scammer. Start with the free steps — they do most of the work.

Optional — if you'd rather it was handled for you

If you'd rather have it watched for you, an identity-protection service monitors your accounts, SSN, and the dark web, warns you the moment something new appears, and helps you recover if someone gets through.

See identity protection →

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Frequently asked

Does PayPal send text messages about pending payments?
PayPal sends some real texts — like one-time security codes you request — but it never texts a link to cancel a payment or verify your account. Real activity shows in the app or at paypal.com. A text with a surprise charge and a cancel link, especially from a look-alike domain, is smishing.
I tapped the link and logged in — what should I do now?
Change your PayPal password right away at paypal.com (typed yourself), enable two-factor authentication, and review your linked cards, bank accounts, and recent activity. If you entered card details on the page, call your bank to freeze or replace the card. Then forward the text to 7726 and the phish to phishing@paypal.com, and file at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Why did I get a PayPal text if I don't have a PayPal account?
Because it was blasted to a purchased phone list, not to PayPal customers. Scammers send the same fake charge to millions of numbers knowing a fraction will have accounts and panic. If you don't have an account, there's nothing to cancel — delete it and forward it to 7726.
How can I tell a real PayPal text from a fake one?
Real PayPal texts are things you triggered — a login code you just requested — and they never contain links to cancel payments or fix your account. Any unprompted text with a dollar amount, a deadline, and a link is fake. When unsure, ignore the text and open the app; if something real needs you, it's there.

Related scams

Sources

A public service

Help protect someone else

Scams spread because people stay quiet about them. If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. Passing it on is the easiest good thing you'll do today. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.