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If you clicked a suspicious text link, close the page and stop interacting with it. A click alone does not prove your phone is infected or an account is compromised. What to do next depends on whether you entered information, downloaded or installed something, or gave someone access to your device.
First, stop and verify the message safely
Do not type anything into the page, download a file, install an app or profile, call a number in the text, or reply. If the message claims there is a bank, account, payment, or delivery problem, check through the company’s known app or website, or call a number you find independently. The FTC advises contacting the purported sender through a number or website you know is real—not through details in the message. FTC guidance on recognizing and reporting spam texts
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For a package claim, check tracking in the retailer account or order confirmation for the purchase. Do not use the text’s link or contact information to verify it. FTC advice about fake USPS texts
If you clicked but entered nothing
Close the page. A click does not by itself establish that malware was installed or that an account was taken over; the FTC warns that unexpected links can expose people to scammers, but does not say every click infects a phone.
- Check whether a file downloaded or an app or profile was installed.
- Watch for unfamiliar activity on accounts you use on the device.
- If you have reason to think harmful software downloaded, update your security software and run a scan.
Do not trust a follow-up message offering to clean or secure your device. If you need hands-on help, contact the device manufacturer or a company you already know and trust, or ask a knowledgeable friend or family member. FTC steps after being scammed
If you entered a password or account details
Go to the account provider’s official app or website independently and change the exposed password. Review the account’s recovery and security options, and change that password anywhere else you reused it. Turn on two-factor authentication if available.
If the password belonged to your email account, secure that account promptly: access to email can help someone reset passwords for other services. These steps reduce risk; entering a password does not, by itself, prove that someone has used it.
If you entered bank, card, or payment information
Contact your bank, card issuer, or payment provider promptly using the number on your card or another contact method you obtain independently. Explain what you disclosed and ask what protective steps are appropriate. If you paid, contact the payment provider and report the fraud; do not assume a payment can be reversed.
If you shared bank-account, credit-card, or Social Security information, the FTC directs consumers to IdentityTheft.gov for steps tailored to the information exposed. FTC guidance for people who were scammed
If you shared other identity information
Use IdentityTheft.gov and follow the recovery steps for the information you disclosed. The appropriate response depends on what details were shared; do not assume every type of personal information calls for the same action.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If something downloaded, was installed, or someone got device access
A file may have downloaded
Update your security software and run a scan. Remove anything the scan identifies as a problem. If you are unsure whether the file ran or what it changed, ask the device manufacturer or a trusted provider for device-specific help rather than following instructions in the suspicious message. FTC scam-recovery guidance
You installed an app or profile
Because cleanup steps vary by device and operating system, seek help from the manufacturer or a company you trust if you are not sure how to remove it safely. The FTC’s general guidance does not establish that every click or installation requires a factory reset.
You granted someone access to your phone or computer
Update security software, run a scan, and delete identified problems. Change passwords for affected accounts and enable two-factor authentication. If you cannot tell what the person accessed or changed, get device-specific assistance from a trusted source. FTC guidance on responding to a scammer’s device access
Report the text
- Forward the message to 7726 (SPAM), or use the report-junk option in your messaging app.
- Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Delete the message after reporting it.
The 7726 short code and FTC reporting site are U.S. reporting options. FTC spam-text reporting instructions
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