How to report a scam text

How-to guide · Updated October 1, 2026

Reporting a scam text takes about a minute, and it's worth doing even if you didn't fall for it. Your report goes to the people who can block the sender's next batch of messages or build a case against them. It won't get money back on its own — if you've already paid, start with the section at the bottom — but it's the part most people skip.

There are several places to report, and they do different things. Here's what each one is for.

Where to report, at a glance

Step by step

1. Don't reply or tap the link. A reply tells the sender your number is active.
2. Take a screenshot first. It keeps the sender's number, the time and the link in one place, which you'll want if you report to the FTC or FBI or need to show your bank.
3. Forward it to 7726. The FTC says to copy the message and forward it to 7726 (it spells SPAM), which helps your wireless provider block similar messages. (FTC) AT&T says forwarding to 7726 is free and doesn't count toward your text plan. (AT&T) Verizon says you may get a reply asking for more information — usually the number the text came from — so answer it to finish the report. (Verizon)
4. Report it in your messaging app. The FTC suggests looking for the option to report junk or spam in the app you use. On iPhone, Apple says you can report iMessages that look like spam or junk. (Apple)
5. File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC recommends reporting scam texts there as well as to your carrier.
6. Block the number. On iPhone, open the conversation, tap the contact at the top, scroll down and tap Block Caller. (Apple)
7. Delete the message once it's reported, so nobody else in the house taps it later.

Report to the company it pretends to be

Most scam texts borrow a real name — a delivery company, a bank, a toll agency, a court. Many of those organizations take reports directly. A few examples from their own pages:

• USPS: the U.S. Postal Inspection Service asks you to email fake USPS texts, with a screenshot, to spam@uspis.gov. (USPIS) See our USPS text scam guide.
• AT&T customers: if you can't see the sender's number, AT&T says to forward the whole message to abuse@att.net. It also suggests sending phishing messages to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org. (AT&T)
• Your bank or card issuer: look for a “report fraud” or “security” page on the bank's real website, or call the number on the back of your card. Never use a number from the text.

When to go further

The FCC. If you keep getting unwanted texts, the FCC takes complaints at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov or by phone at (888) 225-5322. (FCC)

The FBI. If the text claimed to be from the police, a court or a government agency, or if you lost money, file at ic3.gov. The FBI asks you to include the sender's contact details, any payment details and copies of the messages. (FBI IC3) Our jury duty scam guide covers one of the most common versions.

Your state attorney general. State consumer protection offices take scam complaints too. Pennsylvania's, for example, takes them online and at 1-800-441-2555 and asks you to include a copy of the message. (Pennsylvania Attorney General) Search for your own state's attorney general and make sure the site ends in .gov.

If you already clicked or paid

Reporting comes second here. First, protect your money and accounts. The FTC's advice: (FTC)

• Paid by card: call your card issuer or bank right away and ask them to reverse the charge.
• Paid with a gift card, payment app, wire or crypto: contact the company you paid through immediately and ask them to reverse it.
• Gave your Social Security number: go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.
• Typed a password or installed something: update your security software, run a scan, change the passwords you may have exposed and turn on two-factor authentication.

Not sure it's a scam yet?

You don't need an app to report a text — 7726 and the FTC are free. Shieldr is for the step before: when you're not sure. Share the text to Shieldr and it answers safe, suspicious or scam with a one-sentence reason. If it looks like a scam, you can report it to 7726, block the sender or have Shieldr draft a reply from the same screen. Shieldr is a paid iPhone app, so if you'd rather use something free, our comparison of scam-checker apps lists free options.

Common questions

Does texting 7726 cost anything?

AT&T says messages forwarded to 7726 are free and don't count toward your text plan. If you're on another carrier and unsure, check your carrier's support page.

Will 7726 tell me whether a text is a scam?

No. 7726 is for reporting, not checking. Your carrier may reply to ask for the sender's number, but it won't give you a verdict on the message.

Will reporting a scam text get my money back?

Not by itself. If you paid, contact your bank, card issuer or the payment company right away and ask them to reverse it, then report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and, if you lost money, at ic3.gov.

Sources

• FTC — How to recognize and report spam text messages
• FTC — What to do if you were scammed
• AT&T — SMiShing and other texting scams
• Verizon — Reporting and identifying suspicious text messages
• Apple — Block phone numbers, contacts and emails on your iPhone or iPad
• FCC — Alert: scam robotexts are a rising threat
• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center — Public service announcement, September 17, 2026
• U.S. Postal Inspection Service — Smishing and package tracking text scams
• Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General — Scam messages impersonating municipal court

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