What is smishing? How to spot scam texts — and stop them

"Smishing" is a mashup of SMS — short message service — and phishing, the FCC explains: scam texts that try to get you to tap a link, send money or share personal information. It's a big business. In 2024 people told the FTC they lost $470 million to text scams — more than five times the 2020 figure — and most fraud is never reported.

The scam texts Americans report most

The FTC's top five text scams of 2024 made up about half of all text fraud reported to it:

• Fake package delivery problems — the most reported, mostly pretending to be from the US Postal Service.
• Fake job offers — often "task" jobs that end with you paying to earn.
• Fake fraud alerts from your "bank" or a big retailer — which then pressure you to move money out of your account to keep it safe.
• Unpaid-toll notices — texts from fake tolling agencies with a link to a page that collects your card details and sometimes your driver's license number.
• "Wrong number" texts — a friendly stranger who turns the conversation toward a fake investment.

How to tell a text is a scam

• You weren't expecting it, and it's urgent — a package on hold, a fee overdue, an account locked.
• It wants you to tap a link to pay, "update" details or confirm who you are.
• It comes from a number or email address you don't know, even if it uses a real company's name.
• It asks for personal or financial information. Real companies won't text you a link to update your payment information.

What to do with a scam text

1. Don't reply — not even "STOP". The FCC says not to respond to unknown senders, and the FTC notes that any reply, even "wrong number", confirms your number is working.
2. Don't tap the link. If you're worried the message might be real, open the company's app or type its website address yourself.
3. Report it: forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) — most carriers use it to block similar messages — report it as spam in your messaging app, and report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
4. Delete it.

How to filter and block spam texts on iPhone

• Screen unknown senders: on iOS 26 and later, open Messages, tap the Filter button in the conversation list, tap Manage Filtering and turn on Screen Unknown Senders. Texts from people you haven't messaged go to an Unknown Senders list instead of your main conversations.
• Spam filtering is on by default — you'll find Filter spam in the same Manage Filtering screen.
• Report a text: swipe left on it and choose Delete and Report Spam, or tap Report Spam under an open conversation. You can't report a message after you've replied to it.
• Block a sender: open the conversation, tap their icon, tap Info, then Block Contact.
• Older versions of iOS put these settings in different places; Apple's iPhone User Guide has a version picker.

Filtering sorts texts rather than stopping them, and Apple notes that reporting spam doesn't prevent the sender from texting you again — so the habits above still matter.

How to block spam texts on Android (Google Messages)

• Check spam protection: in Google Messages, tap your profile picture or initials, then Messages settings > Protection & Safety > Spam protection. Google turns it on automatically where it's available.
• Report and block: touch and hold the conversation, then tap Block > Report spam > OK. The sender is blocked and the conversation moves to your Spam & blocked folder.
• Worth knowing: reporting a conversation sends the sender's last 10 messages to Google.
• Phones that use another messaging app have their own spam settings.

Ask your carrier

Your wireless provider may have a tool or service that blocks calls and texts. The FTC points to CTIA, the wireless industry association, for a list of each carrier's options at ctia.org.

If you tapped a link or replied

• If you only replied, expect more texts — your number is now confirmed as working. Don't engage further.
• If you entered a password, change it — and anywhere you reused it — and turn on two-factor authentication.
• If you entered card or bank details, call your card issuer or bank right away.
• If you shared your Social Security number, go to IdentityTheft.gov.
• If the link installed something, update your security software and run a scan.

Can a security app catch scam texts?

Some suites check texts for scam links. Norton's Scam Protection includes Safe SMS on every plan; McAfee's Scam Detector flags scam texts, emails and videos on every plan; Avast Premium Security adds SMS Guard, which Avast notes doesn't cover iMessage. They cut down what reaches you, but no filter catches everything.

A real delivery company, bank or toll agency can wait while you check its app or website. A scam text can't — that's why it hurries you.