Text message scams (smishing)
The scam texts hitting phones right now — fake delivery notices, bank alerts, toll bills, and payment-app warnings — with a plain verdict on each.
How these scams work
A scam text (“smishing”) impersonates a company you trust and creates just enough urgency — a package held, a charge you didn't make, a tiny unpaid toll — to make you tap a link before you think. That link goes to a look-alike site built to steal your login or card details. Real companies tell you to open their app yourself; they don't text you a link to “verify” or “pay.”
What to check first
- Read the link, not the message: a real company uses its exact domain (chase.com), never a look-alike with extra words or an odd ending like .info or .top.
- Never tap a link or call a number in a text — open the app or type the real address yourself.
- Don't reply, not even “STOP” — any reply tells them your number is live.
The text message scams we've checked
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Coinbase text scam: is that message real?
Got a text about a Coinbase login, withdrawal, or verification code you didn't request? Here's the verdict and exactly what to do.
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Unpaid toll text scam: is that E-ZPass message real?
Got a text about an unpaid toll, a small balance due, or a late fee from E-ZPass, TxTag, or FasTrak? Here's the verdict and exactly what to do.
Read the case →
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USPS text scam: is that delivery text real?
Got a USPS text about a held package, an address problem, or a redelivery fee? Here's the verdict and exactly what to do.
Read the case →
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Bank of America text scam: is that alert real?
Got a text about a Bank of America locked account, a card freeze, or a charge you didn't make? Here's the verdict and exactly what to do.
Read the case →
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Chase text scam: 3 signs that alert is fake
A “Chase” text about a locked account, a fraud alert, or a charge you didn't make? Here's how to spot the fake fast — and exactly what to do.
Read the case →
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Wells Fargo text scam: is that message real?
Got a text about a Wells Fargo transfer, locked account, or fraud alert you didn't expect? Here's the verdict on the Wells Fargo text scam and exactly what to do.
Read the case →
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Amazon text scam: is that message real?
Got a text about an Amazon order, account hold, or delivery problem you don't recognize? Here's the verdict and exactly what to do.
Read the case →
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FedEx text scam: is that delivery text real?
Got a text about a FedEx package on hold, a missed delivery, or a fee to pay? Here's the verdict and exactly what to do.
Read the case →
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UPS text scam: is that delivery text real?
Got a UPS text about a held package, a delivery fee, or an address you need to confirm? Here's the verdict and exactly what to do.
Read the case →
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Afterpay text scam: is that message real?
Got a text about an Afterpay payment, locked account, or order you don't recognize? Here's the verdict and exactly what to do about the Afterpay text scam.
Read the case →
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Zelle text scam: is that message real?
Got a Zelle text about a payment you didn't make, a locked account, or a code to confirm? Here's the verdict and exactly what to do.
Read the case →
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Venmo text scam: how to spot the fake alert
A Venmo text about a payment, a login, or “suspicious activity” you don't recognize? Here's the verdict and the safe way to check in seconds.
Read the case →
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Cash App text scam: is that payment alert fake?
Got a text about a Cash App payment, refund, or login you didn't make? Here's the verdict — and how to check safely in under a minute.
Read the case →
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Apple Pay text scam: is that message real?
Got a text about an Apple Pay charge, locked account, or payment you didn't make? Here's the verdict and exactly what to do.
Read the case →
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Brushing scam: why did a package I didn't order arrive?
A package you never ordered showed up — maybe with a QR code to “claim a gift.” Here's what a brushing scam is, why it happened, and exactly what to do.
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SCAMText
Facebook Marketplace scams: spot the 3 common tricks
Buying or selling on Facebook Marketplace and something feels off — a “verification code,” an overpayment, or a move to Zelle? Here's the verdict and what to do.
Read the case →