The top 5 text scams: Are you getting any of these?

Have you been getting more strange texts from unknown numbers lately? Makes two of us. We’re among the millions of Americans who scammers have tried to rip off by text.

Fraudsters have shifted away from calls and to texts and emails, according to Oklahoma-based InterBank. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that in 2024, 247,000 people fell victim to scam texts, losing $470 million. (Note: Only a fraction of scams are reported to the FTC.)

Meanwhile, Pew Research recently found that 61% of American adults receive scam texts at least once a week.

In the FTC’s graphic below, we see incidents reported (the blue line) have dipped since 2021 while the amount lost (the red line) has increased dramatically.

It’s more important than ever before to know what to look out for and how to stay safe. With that in mind, we looked at the top text scams reported by the FTC, the Better Business Bureau, the credit bureau Experian and a couple of banks. Here are five of the most common text scams you should be on the lookout for, and some tips for how you can stay safe.

#1: Package delivery scams

This is the most common type of text scam these days.

Here’s how the scam works: A scammer — imitating a delivery operation such as USPS, FedEx or UPS — texts you that there’s an issue with a package you ordered.

They’ll also include a link, which, if you tap it, will lead you to a website that may demand money from you. Maybe they’ll say you didn’t pay the full amount, or that you need to pay a delivery fee. Making the payment not only sends the scammers money – it also gives them your financial information.

#2: Job offers

Have you ever thought life would be so much easier if you could just make a lot of money in a short amount of time? For this next hustle, scammers would have you believe that they’ve cracked the code. Reported losses stemming from job scams hit $223 million in the first half of 2024, the FTC said. That’s a pace 2.5 times higher than in all of 2022. And, only a sliver of fraud is reported, the FTC said, so the actual losses are surely much larger.

The offer of big money often works like this: A scammer texts you with a job offer, even if you’re not looking for a job. The work is usually something simple, such as liking videos online or reviewing products. Scammers do a couple of things to make this look real: They might put you in a group chat where messages start appearing from your “co-workers” saying how much money they’re making, and scammers may even send you some money to get you hooked.

At some point, you’ll be asked to give some of your own money. That’s how they get you, and that’s also how scammers get millions from Americans who fall for “task scams.” Nearly 40% of job scams reported to the FTC involved “task scams” in the first six months of 2024, the FTC said; there was basically no such thing as task scams in 2022.

One of my colleagues recently received a text about a supposed job opportunity, working just 60 to 90 minutes a day, four days a week, with possible earnings of $65,000 to $130,000 a year. It was sent to hundreds or thousands of numbers at the same time. One person responded: “Did a scam just make a gc (group chat)?”

#3: Fraud alerts

No one wants to get their accounts hacked, so scammers sometimes pretend that they’re trying to help you secure your accounts. If you’re posing as a fraud prevention service, who would think that you’re running a scam?

There’s a variety of texts you might receive in a fraud alert scam. Maybe your password was supposedly changed, or you’re told that you need to approve a large transaction you never initiated. Here’s a text I got telling me that my PIN was changed (but not really.)

Notice the part that says “if this was not done by you.” The scammers want you to look at that and think, “Of course this wasn’t done by me!”

Panic sets in, and you miss the red flags in your rush to make sure that your accounts are secure. Of course, there never was an issue. In fact, following that link and offering up your private information is exactly how scammers get into your accounts.

#4: Unpaid tickets

I’m calling this the unpaid tickets scam, but it can encompass anything from supposed outstanding parking tickets to unpaid tolls. It’s pretty straightforward: A scammer texts you that you have an unpaid parking ticket or toll charge and directs you to a link where you can settle up.

You know the rest – making a payment sends the money to the scammer and gives them your payment information. To put some extra pressure on you, scammers will often make threats. They’ll want you to believe that you may face prosecution or have your license revoked if you don’t pay up. Above is  a text I received earlier this year.

#5: Warm texts

At some point within the last year, I started getting lots of texts from people who seemed to have the wrong number. They’d open with mundane questions such as, “Are we still on for lunch today?” or “Are you free in 15 minutes?” These “warm texts,” as we wrote about earlier this year, use your kindest instincts against you.

If you continue talking to the scammer, they may try to pull personal information out of you or ask you for money at some point. Commonly, they’ll claim to be a successful investor and promise you great returns if you make an “investment.” Other times, it may be the first step in trying to engage you in an employment or romance scam, according to Experian.

But there’s a more subtle angle here as well. Scammers are also trying to trick spam filters when they send these texts. Increasingly, scammers may use artificial intelligence bots to send texts to dozens or even thousands of people at a time. When a number sends lots of texts that people don’t respond to, that’s a sign that it’s a spam number. Spam filters will start filtering out texts from these numbers. 

But if the bots can get some people to respond, that makes the number look legitimate. Even responding, “Sorry, wrong number!” helps the scammer, so it’s best not to reply to these texts at all.

What can you do?

Tip 1:

Don’t respond to unexpected texts. If someone genuinely has the wrong number, they’ll figure it out. If they’re a scammer, your response can actually help them look legitimate and puts you at risk of falling for a scam. It’s especially important not to share personal information (your name, banking details, contact info, etc.) with strangers.

Tip 2:

Don’t make payments you weren’t planning to make on the spot, especially not through instant payment services. Zelle, Venmo, CashApp and gift cards are preferred by scammers. These payment methods let scammers get your money instantly and make it difficult to get that money back. Gift cards can also come with a level of anonymity that protects scammers. Anyone you should trust (the government, a real business) won’t ask for payment in these forms, generally called P2P, meaning peer-to-peer or person-to-person payments.

Tip 3:

Don’t take a text at face value. If you think a text could be legit, look up whatever entity the text claims to represent. If it’s someone you have an account with, go to their website (using a different link than the one you were texted) and see whether there’s any information that agrees with the text. Is there an unexpected payment, charge or wire transfer? 

Scammers have lots of creative ways of getting what they want. Make sure to check out some of our previous guides to get informed and learn more tips for staying safe: