Should I reply STOP to a scam text?

No. Replying to a scam text tells the sender that a real person reads that number, which usually brings more messages. Delete it instead, and forward it to 7726 to report the number to your carrier.

I tapped the link but did not type anything. Am I at risk?

Opening a page and closing it without entering anything is usually low risk on a modern phone. The information these pages want is what you type into them, so if you typed nothing, there is nothing to undo.

How can a text show a company name instead of a number?

Sender names can be set by whoever sends the message, and scam texts often use one that matches the story. A familiar name at the top of a text is not evidence that the company sent it.

Why do scam texts ask for such small amounts of money?

A charge of a few dollars is easier to settle than to question, and paying it hands over the card details, which is the real aim. The size of the amount says nothing about whether the message is genuine.

Scam guide

Is This Text a Scam? How To Check Before You Tap

Scam texts are short on purpose. They name something ordinary—a toll, a parcel, a payment—and give you a link, because a small unpaid bill is easier to act on without thinking than a large one. The check is always the same, whatever the text claims.

Reviewed September 22, 2026

The short answer

Do not tap the link in an unexpected text. Look the organization up yourself, using its official app or a web address you already know, and see whether the same message is waiting for you there. If it is not, the text was not real.

Common warning signs

The text is about something small and specific—an unpaid toll, a held parcel, a failed payment—that you were not expecting.
The web address is slightly wrong, very long, shortened, or ends in an unusual country code.
The message arrives from an ordinary mobile number, an email address, or a number you have never seen.
You are asked to reply with a code, a date of birth, a card number, or an account password.
The text warns that the matter becomes more expensive or more serious if you do not act today.

What to do instead

Do not tap the link, and do not reply—even to say stop, which only confirms the number is in use.
Read the sender and the web address carefully. A real organization does not send you to an unrelated domain.
Check the claim independently: open the company's official app, or type an address you already know into the browser.
If a toll, delivery, or bill might genuinely be outstanding, deal with it through that official route rather than the text.
Delete the message, and report it by forwarding it to 7726 (SPAM) so the carrier can act on the number.

If you already tapped the link or replied

Tapping a link is not the same as losing something. What matters is what happened next, so work through it in order.

If you only opened the page and closed it, no information was shared. Nothing further is needed.
If you entered card details, contact the bank or card company using the number on the back of the card.
If you entered a password, change it on that account and on any other account where it was reused.
If you shared a one-time code, contact the organization directly and tell them the code was given to someone else.
Keep the message if you can, then report the incident to the FTC.

Open Help Now

Common questions

Should I reply STOP to a scam text?: No. Replying to a scam text tells the sender that a real person reads that number, which usually brings more messages. Delete it instead, and forward it to 7726 to report the number to your carrier.
I tapped the link but did not type anything. Am I at risk?: Opening a page and closing it without entering anything is usually low risk on a modern phone. The information these pages want is what you type into them, so if you typed nothing, there is nothing to undo.
How can a text show a company name instead of a number?: Sender names can be set by whoever sends the message, and scam texts often use one that matches the story. A familiar name at the top of a text is not evidence that the company sent it.
Why do scam texts ask for such small amounts of money?: A charge of a few dollars is easier to settle than to question, and paying it hands over the card details, which is the real aim. The size of the amount says nothing about whether the message is genuine.

Practice this safely

Practice reading an unexpected text about an unpaid toll and checking it against a route you already trust, instead of tapping the link.

Every story is fictional. There is no timer, no score, and no real message, payment, or account.

Start the four-story practice

Official sources

These links open official U.S. government guidance in a new tab. The destination is shown before you open it.

This page provides general educational information. It cannot determine whether a specific message is genuine, investigate an incident, or promise recovery or reimbursement.