How to forward a scam text to 7726 (iPhone and Android)
7726 spells SPAM on a phone keypad. Forwarding a suspicious text to it is free on most UK networks and lets your provider investigate and block the sender.
On an iPhone or iPad
- Note the number that sent you the message.
- Press and hold the message bubble.
- Tap More.
- Select the message or messages you want to forward.
- Tap the arrow at the bottom right of the screen.
- Enter 7726 and send.
On an Android phone
- Note the number that sent you the message.
- Open the conversation, then press and hold the message bubble.
- Tap the three vertical dots at the top right.
- Tap Forward.
- Enter 7726 and send.
These are the NCSC's steps; menus can differ slightly between phone makers.
What happens next
According to the NCSC, most phone providers are part of the scheme: when you forward a text to 7726, your provider can investigate where it came from and block or ban the sender if it is malicious. The ICO also uses complaints made through 7726 to take action against companies sending unlawful marketing texts.
If 7726 does not work on your network, the NCSC says to contact your phone provider to ask how to report a text. If you have lost money or shared bank details, 7726 is not enough: call your bank, then report it to Report Fraud.
Before you forward it, you can check the sender with the UK number checker and the text itself with the scam text checker.
Sources
- NCSC, forwarding to 7726: NCSC, Report a scam text: "Most phone providers are part of a scheme that allows customers to report suspicious text messages for free by forwarding it to 7726. If you forward a text to 7726, your provider can investigate the origin of the text and arrange to block or ban the sender, if it's found to be malicious." — https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/report-scam-text-message, read on 2026-09-29
- ICO fine, KRA Consultancy (June 2026): ICO: "We have fined KRA Consultancy Ltd (KRA) £300,000 ... sent 5,575,715 unsolicited direct marketing texts between April 2022 and May 2025, promoting debt solutions to people who had already been turned down for loans. This led to more than 60,000 complaints" — https://ico.org.uk/about-the-ico/media-centre/news-and-blogs/2026/06/manchester-firm-fined-300-000-for-bombarding-people-in-debt-with-over-55-million-unlawful-texts/, read on 2026-09-29
Frequently asked questions
- Does it cost anything to forward a text to 7726?
- The NCSC says most providers let you report suspicious texts to 7726 for free.
- Will I get a reply from 7726?
- The NCSC's steps start with noting the number that sent the message, so you have it if your provider asks.
- Can I report a text from HMRC to 7726?
- Yes, and HMRC also asks for fake HMRC texts to be sent to 60599 (network charges apply).
More guides
- Why do I keep getting loan texts, and how do I stop them?
The UK rules on marketing texts, what the ICO fined a loan-text firm for in 2026, and the steps that make the texts stop: don't reply, 7726, ICO.
- HMRC scam texts: tax refund messages and where to report them
What HMRC says it does and does not send by text, the tax refund pattern, and where to forward a fake: 60599 or phishing@hmrc.gov.uk.
- Parcel delivery scam texts: missed delivery and redelivery fees
The missed-delivery texts Royal Mail has published as scams: a small fee, a shortened link, a lookalike site. How to check a parcel safely.
- Texts pretending to be your bank: how to check them
What your bank will never ask by message, the Take Five steps (Stop, Challenge, Protect), and what to do straight away if you replied.
Last updated 2026-09-29. Independent information service. Number data from Ofcom shows the original range holder; numbers can be ported or spoofed. Not affiliated with Ofcom, the FCA, the ICO or any police service.