How do I identify a fake text message?

Look for these 7 warning signs: unexpected content you did not request, pressure for immediate action, grammar and spelling errors, claims that do not match reality, suspicious phone numbers, suspicious links with misspelled domains or shortened URLs, and incorrect or missing company branding.

What should I do if I receive a scam text message?

Do not click any links or reply to the message. Look up the sender phone number using a reverse phone lookup service to verify if it is legitimate. Mark the message as spam, forward it to 7726 (SPAM) to report it to carriers, report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and block the number.

Security Guide

How to Identify a Fake Text Message

Learn to spot scam texts before they cost you. US consumers lost $326 million to text scams in 2024 - don't be the next victim.

$326M Lost to Text Scams in 2024

WSTTM Security Team 2026-01-16 8 min read

This is the backup v1 (Magazine Editorial) version. Access via /learn/how-to-identify-fake-text-messages-v1

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How to Identify a Fake Text Message

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