3 signs a text message is a scam
Checked
A text can look ordinary and still be a trap. The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) says scammers "send fake text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information," such as a password or account number. The stories change all the time: a package on hold, a locked account, a prize. The signs underneath them change much less. Here are three to watch for, and what to do when you spot one.
Talk about it at home: jump to the Table Talks
Sign 1: It rushes or threatens you
Made-up examples: "Your account will be locked today." "Pay now or your service is cut off." Pressure is the point. The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) says, "Scammers create a false sense of urgency." The FTC explains why: "They don't want you to have time to think about what they're saying or talk to someone you trust."
Our advice: a real problem with a real account will still be there in ten minutes. That's enough time to check it yourself.
Sign 2: A link you didn't expect
The FTC says scammers "often try to get you to click on links in text messages." They "might tell you to click on a link to learn more about the issue," and "Some links might take you to a spoofed website that looks real but isn't. If you log in, the scammers then might steal your username and password." Common stories include suspicious activity on your account, a problem with your payment information, or a package delivery notification, and in each case the FTC says the problem isn't real.
The FCC's advice is short: "never click links in these messages."
Sign 3: It asks for a code or for payment, like gift cards
A login code is one of two keys scammers need to get into your account, along with your password, the FTC explains. It says, "Never give your verification code to someone else. It's only for you to log into your account. Anyone who asks you for your account verification code is a scammer."
Payment requests are the other giveaway, especially gift cards. "No real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them," the FTC says. The FCC's phone scam tips agree: "If you feel pressured, or a caller asks you to pay with gift cards, it's a scam!"
What to do when a text looks wrong
- Don't tap the link or reply. The FCC says, "Do not respond to texts from unknown or questionable sources."
- Check on your own. "If you think the message might be real, contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real. Not the information in the text message," the FTC says. Our advice: open the company's official app, type the website address yourself, or call the number on the back of your card or on a statement.
- Report it. The FTC says to "Copy the message and forward it to 7726 (SPAM). This helps your wireless provider spot and block similar messages in the future." You can also use the report junk or spam option in your messaging app, or report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Delete it. Our advice: once it's reported, delete it so nobody in the house taps it later.
If you already tapped a link, typed a password, or shared a code, act quickly. Our advice: change that password from the real app or site, and call your bank or card company using a number you trust.
Do this now: Save your bank's and card company's customer service numbers in your phone, copied from the back of your card or a statement.
Teach it this week
Scam texts: three signs to slow down
Big idea: Scam texts change their stories, but three signs repeat: they rush or threaten you, they send a link you didn't expect, and they ask for a code or for payment like gift cards. When you see one, don't tap. Check on your own.
Background for parents and grandparents: FTC: How to Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages
Table Talks (10 minutes)
- Start (2 min): Watch the video together, or read aloud a made-up text: "FINAL NOTICE: Your account will be locked today. Act now!" Ask your family: "What would you do first?"
- Try it (5 to 7 min): Kids and grown-ups pair up, read five made-up texts and mark each sign you spot: rush, unexpected link, code or payment request. Then decide where you would check instead: the official app, a typed web address, or a number from a card.
- Wrap-up (1 min): Everyone says the three signs and the number you forward scam texts to.
Talk it over
- Have any of us gotten a text that felt urgent? What did it want?
- Why would a scammer want you to hurry?
- Where would we check if a text said our account was locked?
- Who should never get a login code?
Screens off: On paper, write a made-up scam text together, then circle each of the three signs in a different color.
Tonight's action: Each person with a phone learns how to report junk in their messaging app and how to forward a text to 7726.
Use only made-up examples, never a real account. Free to use; please keep the source credit.
This lesson also has its own page: Scam texts: three signs to slow down.
Education only, not financial, legal or tax advice. Not a registered investment adviser.
Sources
Primary sources
- FTC, "How to Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages," https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-report-spam-text-messages, no publish date shown. Date checked: Oct 23, 2026.
- FCC, "Stop Unwanted Robocalls and Texts," https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/stop-unwanted-robocalls-and-texts, last updated/reviewed February 27, 2026. Date checked: Oct 23, 2026.
- FTC, "Avoiding and Reporting Gift Card Scams," https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/avoiding-and-reporting-gift-card-scams, no publish date shown. Date checked: Oct 23, 2026.
Supporting links
- FTC Consumer Alert, "What's a verification code and why would someone ask me for it?," Alvaro Puig, March 7, 2024, https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2024/03/whats-verification-code-why-would-someone-ask-me-it. Date checked: Oct 23, 2026.