Can a checker tell me for sure that a text is a scam?

No. It can only point out patterns that official warnings describe: links to lookalike sites, fees, pressure, requests for details. A message with no flags can still be a scam, so check with the sender through a number or website you already know.

Is it safe to paste the message here?

Yes: the text is checked on your device and is not sent anywhere. Do not tap the link in the message itself.

I clicked the link. What now?

If you entered bank or card details, call your bank on the number on your card straight away, then report it to Report Fraud (reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040; in Scotland, Police Scotland on 101). If you only opened the page, close it and report the text by forwarding it to 7726.

How do I report a scam text?

Forward it to 7726, free on most networks, so your provider can block the sender. Texts pretending to be HMRC can also go to 60599. Unwanted marketing texts can be reported to the ICO.

Why do I keep getting loan texts?

Usually because your number is on a marketing list: in 2026 the ICO fined one firm for sending 5,575,715 marketing texts to people who had been turned down for loans. Marketing texts need your consent or an existing relationship with the sender; the ICO fines firms that break this. Do not reply, forward them to 7726 and report the sender to the ICO.

Free tool

Scam text checker: is this text a scam?

Paste the message. The checker lists the red flags official UK guidance warns about and explains each one. Red flags, not a verdict.

What it looks for

Each rule comes from a published warning: the NCSC's signs of a scam (authority, urgency, emotion, scarcity), Royal Mail's examples of delivery scam texts, HMRC's advice on tax refund texts, the FCA's description of loan fee fraud, the PSNI's warning about family impersonation on WhatsApp, and the ICO's action against fake bailiff texts. The flag tells you which one matched and links to it.

Contains a link. Most scam texts want you to tap a link. Open the organisation's website yourself instead of using the link.
Shortened link hides the real website. A shortened link (bit.ly and similar) hides where it goes. Royal Mail's scam examples use exactly this.
Link looks like a known brand but is not its website. The web address uses a brand or government name on a domain that brand does not use.
Pressure to act now. Deadlines and threats are there to stop you checking.
Claims to be from an official body or your bank. Contact the organisation on the number or website you already know, not the details in the text.
Asks for a payment or a fee. A small fee (a redelivery charge, a settlement) is a common way to get your card details.
Loan offered in return for an upfront fee. Genuine lenders do not unlock a loan after you pay a deposit, admin fee or insurance by transfer. Check the firm on the FCA Firm Checker.
Asks for vouchers, gift cards or crypto. Payment by voucher or crypto is almost impossible to get back.
Asks you to confirm personal or bank details. Your bank and official bodies do not ask for these by message.
Tax refund or rebate offer. HMRC advises not to open links in texts offering a tax refund. Forward them to 60599.
Parcel or delivery problem. Missed-delivery texts with a link or a fee match Royal Mail's published scam examples. Check the tracking on the courier's own website.
'Hi Mum/Dad, this is my new number'. Call the number you already have saved for them before doing anything else.
Asks you to move the chat to WhatsApp or another app. Family and friend impersonation scams usually carry on over WhatsApp.
Bailiff, court or enforcement threat. Fake bailiff texts are used to frighten people into calling a debt company.
Prize, win or something free. An unexpected win or a scarce offer is a classic hook.
Unrequested loan or debt marketing. Marketing texts need your consent. Forward unwanted ones to 7726; the ICO uses those reports to take action.

Check the number the text came from with the UK number checker: a number in a range Ofcom has not allocated is a strong sign of a faked sender.

Sources

Contains a link: NCSC, Report a scam text: "The purpose of a scam text message is often to get you to click a link. This will take you to a website which criminals use to download viruses to your computer, or steal passwords or other personal information." — https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/report-scam-text-message, read on 2026-09-29
Shortened link hides the real website: Royal Mail, Typical online scams: "Text message states there is a package that needs to be resheduled and asks you to press on a 'bit.ly' link. The link takes you to a scam site asking for payment."; "This message tells you there's a £2.99 shipping fee to collect your package."; "A link takes you to a fake web site (royal-mail.cloud)" — https://www.royalmail.com/help/scam-examples, read on 2026-09-29
Pressure to act now: NCSC, How to spot a scam email, text message or call: "Urgency: Are you told you have a limited time to respond (such as 'within 24 hours' or 'immediately')? Criminals often threaten you with fines or other negative consequences." — https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/spot-scams, read on 2026-09-29
Claims to be from an official body or your bank: NCSC, How to spot a scam email, text message or call: "Authority: Is the message claiming to be from someone official? For example, your bank, doctor, a solicitor, or a government department." — https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/spot-scams, read on 2026-09-29
Loan offered in return for an upfront fee: FCA, Loan fee fraud (updated 31 Mar 2026): "The fraudsters often ask for between £25 and £450. ... before giving you the loan, they'll ask for an upfront payment as a deposit, administrative fee or insurance." — https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/loan-fee-fraud, read on 2026-09-29
Asks for vouchers, gift cards or crypto: FCA, Loan fee fraud: "Or they may ask you to buy a voucher, for example from Google Play, Amazon or Ebay. Scammers have even started asking for payments to be made via crypto exchanges." — https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/loan-fee-fraud, read on 2026-09-29
Asks you to confirm personal or bank details: NCSC, How to spot a scam email, text message or call: "your bank (or any other official source) will never ask you to supply personal information via email, or call and ask you to confirm your bank account details." — https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/spot-scams, read on 2026-09-29
Tax refund or rebate offer: HMRC (GOV.UK), Examples of phishing emails, suspicious phone calls and texts: "We advise you not to open any links or reply to a text message claiming to be from HMRC that offers you a tax refund in exchange for personal or financial details." — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/phishing-and-bogus-emails-hm-revenue-and-customs-examples/phishing-emails-and-bogus-contact-hm-revenue-and-customs-examples, read on 2026-09-29
'Hi Mum/Dad, this is my new number': PSNI, How to spot a WhatsApp family impersonation scam: "They will say they are messaging from a new number as their phone was lost or damaged. ... the 'child' is short of money or is late paying bills, and asks the recipient to transfer money into an account." "Call the original number you have saved for that person to verify" — https://www.psni.police.uk/safety-and-support/keeping-safe/scams-and-fraud/whatsapp-family-impersonation-scam, read on 2026-09-29
Bailiff, court or enforcement threat: ICO, 23 June 2026: KRA Consultancy fined £300,000; "KRA also sent fabricated bailiff threats, designed to frighten recipients ... The fake messages were sent using the sender ID 'DEMAND'" — 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
Prize, win or something free: NCSC, How to spot a scam email, text message or call: "Scarcity: Is the message offering something in short supply, like concert tickets, money or a cure for medical conditions?" — https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/spot-scams, read on 2026-09-29
Unrequested loan or debt marketing: ICO, KRA Consultancy fine (June 2026): "The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 cover the sending of marketing text messages. These rules say that organisations must only send marketing text messages to people if they have agreed to receive them, or the company has a genuine existing relationship with them." — 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
Forward 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
Report Fraud: Action Fraud / City of London Police press release, 4 Dec 2025: "From Thursday 4 December 2025, anyone needing to report cyber crime or fraud will be directed to our new Report Fraud service. Report Fraud has replaced Action Fraud, for use in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. People affected by cyber crime or fraud in Scotland should continue to call Police Scotland using the 101 telephone number. ... reportfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040." — https://www.wired-gov.net/wg/news.nsf/articles/Report+Fraud+service+goes+live+04122025143000; https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/, read on 2026-09-29

Frequently asked questions

Can a checker tell me for sure that a text is a scam?: No. It can only point out patterns that official warnings describe: links to lookalike sites, fees, pressure, requests for details. A message with no flags can still be a scam, so check with the sender through a number or website you already know.
Is it safe to paste the message here?: Yes: the text is checked on your device and is not sent anywhere. Do not tap the link in the message itself.
I clicked the link. What now?: If you entered bank or card details, call your bank on the number on your card straight away, then report it to Report Fraud (reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040; in Scotland, Police Scotland on 101). If you only opened the page, close it and report the text by forwarding it to 7726.
How do I report a scam text?: Forward it to 7726, free on most networks, so your provider can block the sender. Texts pretending to be HMRC can also go to 60599. Unwanted marketing texts can be reported to the ICO.
Why do I keep getting loan texts?: Usually because your number is on a marketing list: in 2026 the ICO fined one firm for sending 5,575,715 marketing texts to people who had been turned down for loans. Marketing texts need your consent or an existing relationship with the sender; the ICO fines firms that break this. Do not reply, forward them to 7726 and report the sender to the ICO.

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.
How to forward a scam text to 7726 (iPhone and Android)
Step by step for iPhone and Android, from the NCSC: what 7726 does with your report, what it costs, and what to do if 7726 does not work.
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.
The 'Hi Mum, this is my new number' scam
How the family impersonation scam works on text and WhatsApp, the one check that stops it, and what to do if you have already paid.
Loan offers that ask for a fee first: loan fee fraud
How loan fee fraud works (£25-£450 upfront, per the FCA), how a genuine broker's fee must be disclosed, and how to check a firm with the FCA.

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.