Do not use links or contact details from an unexpected message to verify it. Check the organisation independently. Forward suspicious SMS messages to 7726, or report app messages within the app.
Report a suspicious messageIn this guide
A text from a number you don’t know can be a wrong number, a business you forgot you gave your number to, or a scam. You can check the number the same way as a missed call, and a few signs tell you a lot about the message itself. To check the number now, use the box at the bottom of this page or the free UK number lookup.
Check the number
Check a full UK number for available community reports and allocation information. GotMyNumber does not reveal private subscriber names. No reports does not establish safety, and sender details can be falsified.
If the text came from a name instead of a number, or from a short number of five or six digits, there is no ordinary UK phone number to look up. Judge those by the message.
Signs a text is a scam
The National Cyber Security Centre lists the tricks scam messages use. Ask yourself whether the text:
- Claims authority: says it is from your bank, a doctor, a solicitor or a government department.
- Rushes you: gives you a short time to respond, such as “within 24 hours” or “immediately”.
- Plays on emotion: tries to make you panic, afraid, hopeful or curious.
- Offers something scarce: tickets, money or something else in short supply.
- Ties itself to the news: uses a current event to seem expected.
A link to “confirm” your details or pay a small fee, or a request to reply with a code, should make you stop. Use a number or website you already trust to check, never the contact details in the message.
Forward scam texts to 7726
Forward suspicious SMS messages to 7726 free of charge to alert your mobile provider. For WhatsApp and other app messages, use the app’s reporting tools. Ofcom explains the differences in the source linked below.
- iPhone: tap and hold the message, tap More, then the forward arrow, and send it to 7726.
- Android: tap and hold the message, tap Forward, and send it to 7726.
If you already clicked or replied
- If you gave bank details, contact your bank straight away, or dial 159 to reach most UK banks.
- If you gave a password, change it on every account that uses the same password.
- If you opened a link or installed something, run a full scan with your antivirus software if you have it.
- If you lost money, tell your bank and report it to Report Fraud (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or Police Scotland on 101.
Report the number to warn others
A lookup can offer context when a full number is visible. Our current reporting form is for calls, so do not label a text as a call. Use 7726 or the messaging app’s reporting route for the message itself. Learn more about falsified caller and sender details.
Common questions
Can I find out who texted me for free?
You can check a full number for available reports and range information. GotMyNumber does not reveal private subscriber names. A message displaying a business name still needs independent verification.
Is 7726 free?
Yes. Ofcom says forwarding a scam text to 7726 is free. It passes the message to your mobile provider so it can investigate the sender.
Why did a text come from a number that looks like my bank's?
Sender details can be faked, just as caller ID can on calls. If a text says it is from your bank, don't use the number or link in it: contact your bank using the number on your card, or dial 159.
What should I do if I clicked a link in a scam text?
If you gave bank details, contact your bank. If you gave a password, change it everywhere you use it. If you installed something, run an antivirus scan. If you lost money, report it to Report Fraud, or Police Scotland on 101.
Have a number to check?
Read the available evidence, then choose your next step.
Sources behind this guide
First published 27 September 2026. Adapted from the existing GotMyNumber guide, with editorial changes for V2 on 28 October 2026.