Can a text fake who it's from?

Yes: scammers can fake the number a text shows, even making it look like your own, and anyone can type any name into the message. So nothing in the text itself proves who sent it; reach the bank, company, or person through contact details you already have.

Which parts of a text can be faked?

Three parts of a text can be faked.

• The words. Anyone can type "This is your bank" or "Hi Mom, it's me." The FTC's examples of unexpected-text scams include fake fraud alerts from banks and delivery problems, and it separately warns about scammers who pretend to be family.
• The name. According to the FTC, a scammer can put any name or number they like on your caller ID. That's what spoofing means.
• The number. Texts aren't exempt. The FTC has warned about scam texts sent to people from their own phone number, with the caller ID changed to look that way.

What does a text from your own number prove?

It proves the number at the top of a text can be wrong. You didn't send it, but your number is on it. The FTC's alert on these gets straight to the point: "That's a scam."

It's also a reason to doubt the rest of the message. If a sender can put your number on the screen, they can also put a bank's name or your child's name in the first line. Don't reply to it, and don't tap anything in it.

What's the one thing the sender didn't give you?

The contact details you find yourself. Whatever the message claims, the way back to the real bank, company, or person should come from you:

1. A fraud alert from "your bank": the FTC says to go to the bank through a phone number or website you're sure is real, never the info in the text. 2. An unexpected text from a business: the FCC suggests you look up the company's number yourself and call. 3. "Hi Mom, new number": the FTC says to call or message your child on a number you know is right. 4. A text from your own number: there's nobody to call back, so go straight to reporting it.

Once you've checked, delete the text and report it, either by forwarding it to 7726 (SPAM) or with the junk-reporting option in your messaging app. Don't keep the conversation going.

What does a lookup show if the number might be spoofed?

Whatever number sits at the top of the text is the number a lookup describes. You get its carrier, its line type, a caller ID name if one is on file, and any national scam and spam reports. Treat that as context about the number shown, then check the sender separately through contact details you find yourself. Of those details, the carrier behind the number is much harder to fake than a name typed into a message, though it still describes the number shown rather than the person who sent it.

When the number really is the sender's, that context helps. A text claiming to be your bank that comes from an internet line with scam reports against it is a reason to slow down before you tap, even though it doesn't prove the text is fake.

When the number was spoofed, the lookup is still about the number on screen, not whoever actually sent the text. Look up a text that appears to come from your own number and you'll get details about your own line, which says nothing about who sent the message.

Two more things to keep straight:

• The caller ID name is just what's on file for the number. It doesn't prove who typed the text.
• If nothing comes back, that only means no reports are on file for the number. That is not the same as safe.