Scam text checker
Is this text a scam?
Paste any suspicious message. We run a pattern scan and a full AI analysis, then tell you what you're looking at and exactly what to do next. Free, no sign-up.
We never store the raw text of your message. Only an anonymous verdict summary helps improve detection.
How it works
Two engines. One verdict.
We pair a deterministic rules engine with an AI analyst so you get an answer in under a second and an explanation in under five.
Paste the message
Drop in any suspicious text, email or DM you received. Up to 4,000 characters. Nothing is stored.
Pattern engine runs first
We instantly match dozens of scam signals — urgency, money asks, suspicious links, impersonation cues — and produce a risk score.
AI explains and recommends
An AI analyst reviews the message in context and tells you what type of scam it is, what to do, and what to do if you already responded.
What the checker actually looks for
Scam messages are written to a formula. Whoever sends them needs you to feel pressure, trust a familiar name, and move somewhere they control — a link, a phone number, a chat app. Our engine scores a message against more than twenty-five of those signals before the AI analyst ever sees it.
- Urgency and threat language — deadlines, suspensions, warrants, final notices
- Payment demands — gift cards, crypto, wire transfers, "small" toll or customs fees
- Credential harvesting — one-time codes, password resets, ID or selfie uploads
- Link tricks — shortened URLs, look-alike domains, raw IP addresses, odd suffixes
- Impersonation cues — banks, couriers, toll authorities, tax agencies, exchanges
- Contact-channel switching — "text this number", "continue on WhatsApp"
The messages people check most
If your message reads like one of these, you are almost certainly holding a scam. Each one links to a full breakdown of the tactic and the right response.
Unpaid toll texts
A short message claiming you owe a few dollars to E-ZPass, FasTrak or EZDriveMA, with a link and a same-day deadline. Real toll agencies bill the account or mail a notice; they do not text a payment link out of the blue. The tiny amount is deliberate — it makes people pay without thinking, and the page harvests the card.
Read the breakdownBank, exchange and one-time-code alerts
“A withdrawal of $2,400 was requested. If this wasn't you, call support.” You never requested it, and the number is theirs. The moment you call, a calm voice walks you through moving your money to a “safe” wallet or account. No bank or exchange will ever ask you to move funds to keep them safe.
Read the breakdownDelivery and address-confirmation texts
A parcel is held, the address is incomplete, a small redelivery fee is due. Couriers use tracking numbers you can check in their own app. If the link is shortened or the domain is not the courier's, it is smishing.
Read the breakdownWrong-number and friendly-stranger openers
“Hi, is this Dr. Chen?” A polite mistake becomes a long, warm conversation and eventually an investment tip. This is pig butchering, and it is the most expensive scam category per victim. Any stranger who befriends you and later mentions trading is running it.
Read the breakdownAI voice and deepfake requests
A cloned voice on a call, or a familiar face endorsing an investment in a video. Agree a family code word offline, and treat any urgent request that arrives with a story about why you cannot call back as fake until proven otherwise.
Read the breakdownIf you already replied or clicked
Acting in the first hour matters far more than beating yourself up. Work down this list.
- 01Stop the conversation. Do not send anything else, and do not tell the sender you know it is a scam.
- 02Change the password on the impersonated account from a device you trust, then turn on two-factor authentication.
- 03If you shared card or bank details, call the number printed on your card and ask them to block and reissue it.
- 04If you shared a one-time code, contact the provider immediately — that code may have transferred your account.
- 05Screenshot everything before deleting: the number, the message and the link. You will need it to report.
- 06Report it — 7726 for texts, plus the FTC, IC3, Action Fraud or Scamwatch depending on where you live.
Scam text checker FAQ
How do I know if a text message is a scam?+
Look for four things: urgency ("act within 12 hours"), an unexpected link, a request for money, card details or a one-time code, and a sender you cannot verify. Any single one is suspicious; two together almost always means a scam. Pasting the message into the ScamBare scam text checker gives you a second opinion in seconds.
Is the scam text checker free?+
Yes. There is no account, no trial and no payment. You can check as many messages as you like, and the tool works on texts, emails, WhatsApp messages, DMs and marketplace chats.
Do you store the message I paste?+
No. We never store the raw text of your message. We keep only an anonymous summary of the verdict and the signal types found, which helps us keep the pattern library current.
What should I do if I already clicked the link?+
Do not enter anything else on the page. Change the password for the account being impersonated from a device you trust, turn on two-factor authentication, call your bank using the number on your card if you entered payment details, and watch your statements for small test charges. Every ScamBare result includes these steps tailored to the scam type detected.
Can the checker be wrong?+
It can. The checker is a decision aid, not a legal or financial ruling. A low score does not prove a message is genuine — always verify anything involving money through a channel you found yourself, not one supplied in the message.
Where should I report a scam text?+
In the US, forward it to 7726 (SPAM) and file a report with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov or the IC3. In the UK, forward to 7726 and report to Action Fraud. In Australia, report to Scamwatch. Reporting is what gets numbers shut down before they reach someone more vulnerable.