Is this text a scam? Check it before you tap

Scam texts pretend to come from a parcel firm, the tax office, a toll road or your bank, and most want the same thing: for you to tap the link. Paste the text below to see where it really goes before you do.

Updated 9 October 2026 · 5 min read

Check a text now

Check one now

Paste the whole text

Copy the text message and paste it here, or paste just the link. LinkGuard picks out the links (up to 8) and shows where each one really goes, with a clear answer such as Safe, Check first or Scam.

To copy a text, press and hold the message, then tap Copy. On Android, you can also share a text straight to LinkGuard once it’s on your home screen. How to set it up

Only the web addresses in your message are sent for checking. Our server never reads or keeps the rest of it.

Got a QR code?

Check it before you open it. The code is read in your browser, and only a web address in it is sent for checking.

Spot it

Five signs of a scam text

  1. 01

    You weren’t expecting it

    A parcel you didn’t order, a refund you didn’t claim, a fine you’ve never heard of. A text out of the blue is the first warning sign.

  2. 02

    It wants money or details

    Often a small fee, like £1.45 to redeliver a parcel or $12.51 for a toll, or your card details “to send a refund”.

  3. 03

    It rushes or threatens you

    “Pay today”, “final notice”, “your registration will be suspended”. The pressure is there to stop you checking.

  4. 04

    The link isn’t the real website

    Read the site name from the right: hmrc.gov.uk.tax-refund.example is really tax-refund.example. Short links, like bit.ly ones, hide where they go, so check them first.

  5. 05

    It asks for a reply to make a link work

    Some scam texts ask you to reply Y, then open the message again. On an iPhone, iMessage turns off links in texts from unknown senders, and replying turns them back on. Don’t reply to a text you weren’t expecting from a number you don’t know.

Know the script

Scam texts doing the rounds

Made-up examples based on real scams. Their links end in .example, a name kept for examples, so they lead nowhere, and the checker won’t find them if you paste one in.

  • UKPretends to be Royal Mail or Evri

    A fee to release your parcel

    Text message from +44 7700 900461

    Royal Mail: Your parcel is on hold because of an unpaid £1.45 shipping fee. Pay today or it will be returned to the sender: rm-parcel-fee.example/pay

    The facts

    Royal Mail says it never asks for payment for an underpaid item by text or email: it leaves a grey “Fee to Pay” card. It only texts with tracking updates the sender asked for, or about a customs fee, so check where any link goes. Evri says its texts never ask you to reschedule a delivery or pay to do so.

  • UKPretends to be HMRC

    A tax refund waiting for you

    Text message from +44 7700 900218

    HMRC: You are due a tax refund of £276.40. Claim it before it expires: hmrc-refund.example/claim

    The facts

    HMRC says it will never tell you about a tax rebate by text. Some real HMRC texts do link to GOV.UK or HMRC webchat, so check where a link goes.

  • UKPretends to be DVLA

    A failed vehicle tax payment

    Text message from +44 7700 900735

    DVLA: Your latest vehicle tax payment failed. Update your payment details today to avoid a fine: vehicle-tax-update.example

    The facts

    DVLA says it will never ask for your bank account details or ask you to confirm payment details. Vehicle tax refunds are issued automatically.

  • USPretends to be USPS

    A package that can’t be delivered

    Text message from +1 (202) 555-0147

    USPS: Your package can’t be delivered because of an incomplete address. Update it within 24 hours: usps-redelivery.example

    The facts

    The US Postal Inspection Service says USPS doesn’t text or email you unless you asked for updates with a tracking number, and those messages don’t contain a link.

  • USPretends to be a toll road

    An unpaid toll

    Text message from +1 (312) 555-0189

    Toll Services: You have an unpaid toll balance of $12.51. Pay now to avoid a $50.00 late fee: toll-balance.example/pay

    The facts

    The FTC and FBI have warned about these texts. To check, use the toll service’s own website or phone number, not the link or number in the text.

  • USPretends to be your state’s DMV

    An overdue traffic ticket

    Text message from +1 (415) 555-0123

    DMV final notice: You have an unpaid traffic ticket. Pay today or your vehicle registration will be suspended: dmv-ticket.example/pay

    The facts

    The FTC says these texts are probably a scam. If you’re worried, contact your DMV using a phone number or website you know is real.

Got one?

What to do with a scam text

  1. 1

    Don’t tap the link, call any number in it or reply to it.

  2. 2

    If it might be real, go to the company yourself: open its app, or type in its web address. For your bank, call the number on the back of your card. In the UK, you can also dial 159.

  3. 3

    Report it (see below), then delete it.

Already tapped the link? What to do now

Report it

Where to report a scam text

In the UK

Any scam text
Forward it to 7726. It’s free.
Posing as HMRC
Also forward it to 60599 (charged at your network’s normal rate).
Posing as Royal Mail
Also send a screenshot to reportascam@royalmail.com.
Lost money
Tell your bank, then report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040 (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.

In the US

Any scam text
Forward it to 7726 (SPAM).
Posing as USPS
Also report it to spam@uspis.gov.
About a toll
Also report it to the FBI at ic3.gov, with the number it came from and the website in it.
Lost money
Tell your bank, and report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

You can also use your messages app’s option to report junk or spam. In Google Messages, for example, press and hold the conversation, then tap Block and Report spam.

Let LinkGuard do it

Check the next text before you tap.

Add to Chrome, it’s freeCheck on your phone

FAQ

Common questions

How can I tell if a text is a scam?

Ask four questions. Were you expecting it? Does it want money or details? Is it rushing you? Does the link go to the company’s real website? A surprise text that pushes you to pay or sign in through a link is very likely a scam. Paste it into LinkGuard to see where the link really goes.

Is it safe to open a scam text?

Most scam texts work by getting you to tap the link and then type in details, pay or install something, so the link is the main part to avoid. Don’t tap it, don’t call any number in it and don’t reply. Report the text, then delete it.

Should I reply STOP to a scam text?

No. The US Federal Communications Commission advises against responding to texts from unknown numbers or ones that look suspicious. Some scam texts even ask for a reply, because on an iPhone, replying to an unknown sender in iMessage can make the links in its message tappable. Report it and delete it instead.

I tapped the link. What now?

If you didn’t type or install anything, close the page and keep an eye on your accounts. If you entered a password, card details or other personal details, or installed something, act now. LinkGuard’s guide to what to do after a scam link takes you through it.

Does LinkGuard read my messages?

No. When you paste a message, LinkGuard picks out the links on your device and sends only those web addresses to its server to check. The rest of the message isn’t sent.

Sources

Where this advice comes from

Guides

More help