The fake product recall text scam
A text or email says something you bought has been recalled, and a link will get you a refund. Here's how to tell it's fake — and how to check real recalls yourself.
Scam guide · Updated October 9, 2026
Real recalls are a good reason to act: a product you own might be unsafe, and the company owes you a fix or your money back. That's exactly why scammers copy them. On September 24, 2026, AARP warned about a wave of fake recall notices: urgent texts and emails saying a product you bought — or even a car you drive — has a safety recall, with a link to “review your order,” schedule a repair or claim a refund. The link leads to a fake site that asks for personal information, your login or your card details. (AARP)
AARP says these scams tend to spike around big shopping periods, so expect more of them now that holiday shopping has started.
What the text looks like
The message is short, official-sounding and vague about the product. Amazon is the name scammers use most: AARP quotes a fraud-prevention company that said about 90% of the recall scams reported to it used Amazon's name, with Walmart, Costco and Best Buy also turning up. (AARP) A message might read like this:
Amazon Safety Notice: A product from your recent order has been recalled due to a safety hazard. To ensure your safety and process your full refund without delay, please sign in to your account: [link]A typical example, recreated from AARP warnings. Don't tap links in messages like this.
The “full refund without delay” line comes straight from a recall scam AARP flagged earlier this year. (AARP) The page behind the link looks like a store sign-in. Type your password and the scammers can get into your real account; enter a card “to receive the refund” and they have the card.
The one fact that settles it
A real recall doesn't need you to sign in through a link, and it never asks you to pay. AARP says legitimate recalls never ask for login details, your Social Security number, bank or card information, or a fee. (AARP) They name the exact product and give model numbers and detailed instructions. And you can always confirm one without touching the message:
- Household products, toys, appliances: the Consumer Product Safety Commission lets you search recalls and product safety warnings, and subscribe to recall emails. (CPSC)
- Cars: NHTSA's recall lookup checks your 17-character VIN for unrepaired recalls. NHTSA says manufacturers notify registered owners by first-class mail, and dealers fix recalled parts for free. (NHTSA)
- Amazon orders: Amazon says customers who bought a recalled item get a personalized email and a banner at the top of Your Orders, which links to a “Your Recalls and Product Safety Alerts” page in your account. (Amazon) If it isn't there when you open the Amazon app yourself, the text wasn't from Amazon.
Signs it's fake
- It doesn't say which product. “An item from your recent order” is a tell. AARP says real recalls name the product and model numbers.
- It's urgent. Real recalls may tell you to stop using a product, but AARP notes they don't demand other immediate action.
- It came by text. AARP says manufacturers usually send recall notices by email or mail.
- It wants you to sign in, or asks for card, bank or personal details to “process” a refund.
- It asks for a fee — shipping for a replacement, a “processing” charge. Recalls are free.
- The link isn't the store's real website. Read the part right before the first single slash; our guide on how to check if a link is safe shows how.
- You never bought the thing, or never shopped at that store.
What to do
- Don't tap the link or reply.
- Check the recall yourself. Open the store's app or type its address yourself and look at your orders, or search the product at cpsc.gov/Recalls. For a car, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- If it claims to be Amazon, AARP says you can forward it to verify@amazon.com to check, and report impersonation to reportascam@amazon.com. (AARP) Our guide on whether an Amazon text is real has more of Amazon's own rules.
- Report it. AARP suggests using the “Report Spam” option in the message thread; you can also forward the text to 7726 (SPAM), and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. See how to report a scam text for every option.
- If you think the product really is unsafe, CPSC takes reports of unsafe products on SaferProducts.gov. (CPSC)
If you already paid or clicked
What to do depends on what you typed in. The FTC's advice: (FTC)
- Your store password: change it right away, and anywhere else you use the same one, and turn on two-factor authentication. Then check your account for orders, addresses or payment methods you don't recognize.
- A credit or debit card: contact your card issuer or bank using the number on the back of the card and ask for a refund. Federal law protects you from unauthorized use.
- A payment app or bank transfer: report it to the app or your bank right away and ask them to reverse it.
- A gift card: contact the card's issuer, tell them a scammer got the number and PIN, and ask for a refund. Keep the card and receipt.
- Your Social Security number: go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.
AARP also points victims to their local police and the FBI's ic3.gov, and to the free AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360. (AARP)
Got a recall text you're not sure about?
Share the text, email or screenshot to Shieldr. It reads the message, checks any link against Google's list of known malicious sites, and answers safe, suspicious or scam with a one-sentence reason. It's one more check before you tap anything, not a guarantee — the store's own app is always the final word.
Get Shieldr on the App Store
Common questions
Do companies send recall notices by text?
Rarely. AARP says manufacturers usually send recall notices by email or mail, not text, and car makers notify registered owners by first-class mail. A text about a recall with a sign-in or refund link is a reason to check the recall yourself on cpsc.gov/recalls, nhtsa.gov/recalls or in the store's app.
How do I check if a product I bought was really recalled?
Search the product on the Consumer Product Safety Commission's site at cpsc.gov/recalls, or for a car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If you bought it on Amazon, open Your Recalls and Product Safety Alerts in your account, which Amazon says lists recalls tied to your orders.
Where do I report a fake recall text?
Use the report-spam option in your messages app or forward the text to 7726 (SPAM), report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and if it pretends to be Amazon, email it to reportascam@amazon.com. If you lost money, also file at ic3.gov.
Related: is that Amazon text real?, the USPS “package on hold” text scam, another fake shopping message, and how to check if a link is safe.
Sources
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