Scam calls & texts
The same playbook as email phishing, but it arrives by call or text — where it feels more immediate, and where a single shared code can hand over your account.
How it works
A text says a package can't be delivered, a toll is unpaid, or your bank flagged a charge — with a link to "fix" it. A call claims to be your bank's fraud team, a government agency, or tech support, and walks you toward sharing a code or moving money.
Caller ID and sender names can be faked to show anything, so "it said it was my bank" is not proof. The tell isn't who it claims to be — it's what it's asking you to do right now.
Common forms
Red flags
Spot it in the wild
A real carrier won't text a link to an outside domain to fix an address, and the 12-hour window is there to rush you. The number is unknown and the link isn't the carrier's real site. Track packages only through the carrier's official app or website.
What to do instead
The right response
Hang up and call back on the official number from the company's website or the back of your card. Never act on a code or payment request that came from a call or text you didn't start.
If you fell for it
- 1Stop replying, and don't call back the number that contacted you.
- 2If you shared a code or login, change that password and call the institution on its official number.
- 3If you moved money, contact your bank immediately — speed matters for reversals.
- 4If you gave remote access, disconnect the device from the internet and run a trusted scan, or take it to a reputable shop.
- 5Forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM) and report the scam to the FTC.
Test your judgment
See if you can spot scams like this one in our quiz.