untrappable.Check

Smishing: what it is, with 6 illustrated examples

Editorially reviewed · Last updated September 8, 2026

Yes — this is a scam. Smishing is phishing that arrives by text — a familiar name, a small urgent problem, and a link that isn't the real site.

Exhibit · Text message

Text Message · Today 9:18 AM
from +1 (555) 013-8842
State Toll Service: our records show an outstanding toll of $12.51. To avoid a late fee of $50.00, settle your balance today: stateturnpike-tollpay[.]info/settle
Illustrative text message · not an original screenshot
Exhibit 2USPS “package on hold”Illustration · not an original screenshot
Text Message · Today 11:42 AM
from +1 (555) 014-2025
USPS: Your package is on hold. We couldn't deliver it due to an incomplete address. Confirm your details within 12 hours or it will be returned: usps-trackpkg[.]info/track
Exhibit 3Chase “unauthorized charge”Illustration · not an original screenshot
Text Message · Today 8:42 AM
from +1 (555) 012-7788
Chase Bank Alert: A charge of $612.00 to AMAZON was approved on your card. If you did NOT authorize this, verify now to stop it: chase-secure-alerts[.]info/verify
Exhibit 4Venmo “pending payment”Illustration · not an original screenshot
Text Message · Today 8:41 AM
from +1 (555) 014-2090
Venmo: A payment of $499.00 to an unknown recipient is pending. If this wasn't you, cancel it now: venmo-secure[.]info/cancel
Exhibit 5Cash App “cancel this payment”Illustration · not an original screenshot
Text Message · Today 11:42 AM
from +1 (555) 018-2025
Cash App: A $750.00 payment to an unknown recipient is pending. If you didn't authorize this, cancel it now: cashapp-secure[.]info/cancel
Exhibit 6Netflix “payment declined”Illustration · not an original screenshot
Text Message · Today 6:17 PM
from +1 (213) 555-0186
Netflix: Your payment was declined and your membership will be cancelled tonight. Update your billing to keep watching: netflix-billing-update[.]com/renew

Other versions you might get: Messages may imitate a delivery company, bank, toll operator, payment app, streaming service, or tax agency. They can use links, callback numbers, or requests to reply; there is no single required format.

Reported versions of this message

Each source below documented a text. Web addresses are defanged, and identifying values may be redacted; the remaining wording follows the source. Similar wording is a reason to check independently, not proof that two messages came from the same sender.

  • “(State Toll Service Name): We've noticed an outstanding toll amount of $12.51 on your record. To avoid a late fee of $50.00, visit hxxps://myturnpiketollservices[.]com to settle your balance.”
    Documented by FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) · April 2024

What to do right now

  1. Don't tap the link, and don't reply — not even “STOP”. A reply tells the sender the number is live.
  2. Check independently. Open the company’s app or official website yourself. Ask official support about the specific notice before entering credentials, sharing codes, or paying.
  3. Forward it to 7726 (SPAM). It's free on every major carrier, and it feeds the sender's number into carrier-level blocking.
  4. Report it. File at reportfraud.ftc.gov. If it impersonated USPS, email spam@uspis.gov. If you lost money, add a complaint at ic3.gov with the sender's number and the website from the text.
  5. If you already tapped and entered something: change that password, turn on two-factor authentication, and call your bank or card issuer to dispute any charge you don't recognize. Then block the number and delete the message.

Reduce the risk of another scam

Do not use the message’s link to check the claim. Open the real service yourself. If you paid or shared account details, start with what to do after a scam. Blocking and reporting can reduce unwanted contact, but they cannot stop every attempt or tell you how the sender found you.

● Public service · free steps first

Take the free protection steps first

A suspicious message does not tell us how someone found your details. If you shared personal information, start with the official recovery guidance. You can also freeze your credit for free.

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Frequently asked

What is smishing?
Smishing is phishing carried out by text message. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service defines it as “a form of phishing that involves a text message or phone number,” where victims receive a deceptive text “intended to lure the recipient into providing their personal or financial information.” The scammers disguise themselves as a government agency, a bank, or a company you use, to lend legitimacy to the claim. The name is a blend of SMS and phishing.
How does a smishing attack work?
A text imitates a trusted organization and directs you to a phishing link, callback number, or reply. It may steal details or lead to malware. The suspicious message alone cannot establish whether a real account, charge, parcel, or toll issue exists; verify separately.
How can I tell a smishing text from a real one?
Unexpected urgency, unusual destinations, and requests for secrets are warnings. Genuine services can use links, short codes, or longer numbers, and some alerts arrive without opt-in. No format authenticates a sender. Check the claim through the service independently.
What should I do if I clicked a link in a smishing text?
Close the page and do not enter details, download files, or grant permissions. Opening alone is generally less risky than entering credentials, but not a guarantee of safety. Update the device and investigate unexpected downloads or warnings. If details or money were exposed, contact the affected provider promptly.
How do I report a smishing text?
There are three routes and they take about a minute. Forward the message to 7726 (SPAM) — the FCC confirms most carriers use this to spot and block similar messages. Report it as junk in your messaging app. And file with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. For USPS impersonation, email spam@uspis.gov; if money was lost, file at ic3.gov and include the originating phone number and the website listed in the text.
Why am I getting so many scam texts?
Because they're sent in bulk to lists of numbers, not chosen for you. Your number reaches those lists the ordinary ways — data breaches, apps that resold your details, people-search sites that republish them. Receiving one doesn't mean you've been hacked. FCC rules ban autodialed texts to a mobile phone without your prior consent, and they apply whether or not your number is on the National Do Not Call Registry — but the senders breaking those rules aren't checking. Forwarding to 7726 and reporting is what gets numbers and phishing domains shut down.

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Sources

  1. 01Smishing: package tracking text scams— U.S. Postal Inspection Service
  2. 02How to recognize and report spam text messages— Federal Trade Commission
  3. 03Smishing texts representing road toll collection services— FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
  4. 04Stop unwanted robocalls and texts— Federal Communications Commission
  5. 05Chase self-service text messages— chase.com
  6. 06How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams— consumer.ftc.gov

Pass it on

Help protect someone else

If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.