Spotting Phishing Emails and Text Scams

Scam emails and texts get better every year. The good news: they almost all rely on the same few tricks. Once you know them, they are easy to spot.

Red flags to look for

• Urgency. "Your account will be closed today" or "final notice." Real companies rarely threaten you by text.
• Unexpected requests. A package you never ordered, a toll you do not owe, or a prize you never entered.
• Strange links. Press and hold (or hover) before you tap. If the web address does not match the company, do not open it.
• Requests for codes or payment. Nobody legitimate asks for gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency or the six-digit code sent to your phone.
• Small mistakes. Odd greetings, spelling errors or a sender address that is almost, but not quite, right.

What to do instead

Do not reply and do not tap anything. Open the company's real app or type its website address yourself, and check there. If it was real, the notice will be waiting in your account.

If you already clicked

• Do not enter any information. Close the page.
• If you did enter a password, change it right away on the real site, and anywhere else you used it.
• Turn on two-factor sign-in for your email and bank.
• Watch your accounts for activity you do not recognize, and call your bank using the number on your card.
• Run a security scan on the device. If something still seems off, we can check it for you.

Report it

You can forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM) and report phishing at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Reporting helps protect other people.

Worried a device is already compromised? A security check and clean-up is something we do every week.