Scam texts in the UK: how to tell, what to do and where to report them
A text that asks you to pay a small fee, claim a refund or confirm your details through a link is very likely a scam. Do not tap the link. Forward the text to 7726, which is free, and delete it. This guide covers delivery, tax and bank texts, what to do if you tapped, where to report in the UK, and the other common scams that use the same trick.
By Archie Crossland, Head of Product and Growth at BLOKK. Updated 10 November 2026.
Scam texts: delivery fees, tax refunds and “your account is locked”
How to tell
| The message says | What is really happening |
|---|---|
| A parcel could not be delivered and you must pay a small fee to rearrange it | The fee is the bait. The page asks for your card details, and often your bank login next |
| You are owed a tax refund, or will be fined unless you act today | The link opens a copy of an official site that collects personal and bank details |
| Your bank or card has been blocked, tap to verify | The page collects your login, then the caller or page asks for the security code your bank sends |
| “Hi Mum, I’ve lost my phone, this is my new number” | A request for money follows within a few messages |
Signs they share: a link, a deadline, a small amount of money, and a sender you cannot check.
Royal Mail, Evri and other delivery texts
Treat any text that asks you to pay through a link as a scam until you have checked it another way. Do not use the link. Open the delivery company’s own app, or type its address yourself, and enter the tracking number from the shop you bought from. If there really is a fee or a missed delivery, it will show there.
HMRC texts
HMRC’s guidance on gov.uk, last updated 6 October 2026, says it does send some texts, and that “in the text message we might include a link to GOV.UK information or to HMRC webchat”. So a link alone does not prove a scam. What HMRC tells people is not to “open any links or reply” to a text claiming to be from HMRC that offers a tax refund in exchange for personal or financial details. It also says it “will never ask you to pay with gift or payment vouchers”.
HMRC asks people to forward suspicious texts to 60599 (it notes that network charges apply) or to email [email protected], and then delete them.
What to do with any scam text
- Do not tap the link or reply.
- Forward it to 7726. The National Cyber Security Centre says most phone providers let customers “report suspicious text messages for free by forwarding it to 7726”, and that the provider can then “investigate the origin of the text and arrange to block or ban the sender”.
- Delete it.
- If you tapped the link and entered details, ring your bank using the number on your card, then change your passwords.
One thing to be clear about: BLOKK does not block or read text messages. If you do tap a link in a scam text, BLOKK blocks the website it opens when that site is on its list of known scam and phishing sites.
Other common scams that work the same way
Phishing emails
The same trick by email, often with a better copy of the real company’s design. Check the sender’s full address, not the name shown. Hover over or press and hold a link to see where it really goes. A real company will not mind if you ignore the email and log in the usual way instead.
Fake shops
A website with famous brands at prices far below everywhere else, usually found through an advert on social media. You pay and nothing arrives, or something worthless does. Our guide How to check if a website is a scam has the checks to run first.
Investment and cryptocurrency scams
An advert, a message or a new online friend offers returns that are high and guaranteed. Early “profits” appear on a convincing dashboard. When you try to withdraw, there is a fee, then another. Real investments are never guaranteed, and a firm that will not let you withdraw is not a firm.
Romance scams
Someone you have met only online builds trust over weeks, then has an emergency that needs money. They always have a reason not to meet or video call. Never send money to someone you have not met in person.
Marketplace and payment scams
A buyer “overpays” and asks for the difference back, or a seller insists on a bank transfer outside the marketplace’s own payment system. Stay inside the platform’s payment and messaging, where you are protected.
Tech support scams
A pop up or a phone call says your device is infected and offers to fix it if you install a program or pay. Real companies do not ring you about viruses.
Where to report a scam in the UK
| What happened | Where to report |
|---|---|
| You received a scam text | Forward it to 7726 |
| You received a scam text claiming to be HMRC | Forward it to 60599 or email [email protected] |
| You found a scam website | The National Cyber Security Centre’s “report a scam website” page. It says reporting is free and “only takes a minute” |
| You lost money or gave away details | Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, Police Scotland on 101 |
How BLOKK helps
BLOKK’s free Privacy Shield blocks known scam and phishing websites before they load, in every browser and every app on your phone, with no account needed. It will not catch a brand new site that nobody has reported yet, and it does not block calls or texts. It removes the known ones, so a hurried tap is less likely to cost you.
Further reading: What are the Most Common Scams?.
Download BLOKK on Google Play or download BLOKK on the App Store.
