Identified Scam:

Don't Fall for a Fake T-Mobile Text Message

T-Mobile customers are receiving scam texts designed to steal personal data. Here are the most common versions to watch out for.


Tina Chang
Updated 16 May 2022
Don't Fall for a Fake T-Mobile Text Message
Identified Scam:
Key Finding

Fake T-Mobile text messages are being sent with phishing links. 


Key Risk

You risk having your identity stolen and accounts compromised. 

Sections on this page
  1. Common Fake T-Mobile Texts
  2. Genuine T-Mobile Text Messages
  3. How to Identify Fake T-Mobile Texts
  4. How to Protect Yourself from Scam Texts
  5. Frequently Asked Questions

Scammers have targeted T-Mobile and its customers over the past few years, and with more than 108 million subscribers, it's not hard to see why. The company has experienced data breaches, issues with SIM swapping, and now fake T-Mobile text messages being sent to their customers.

The main goal of fake T-Mobile texts and spam text messages is to get you to click on a link and enter your information (e.g., T-Mobile account info, bank account information, etc.) on a fake T-Mobile phishing website. With this information, the scammer will commit identity theft and ultimately cause you financial grief in the future.

Even if you have blocked SMS spam and unwanted messages from your phone, some still get through, so it's important to learn how to identify a scam from a legitimate T-Mobile text.

Common Fake T-Mobile Texts

Fake T-Mobile text messages vary, but some common ones have been circulating for a while. The most common element of these spam messages is a phishing link that doesn't go to the official T-Mobile website at T-Mobile.com.

Gift for Bill Payment

One of the most common SMS spam messages that impersonate cell phone carriers is the message thanking you for paying your monthly bill. In this scam/spam text message, you're offered a "little gift" or "free gift" as a thank you, but instead of receiving a gift, you'll be taken to a phishing site where your information will be stolen.

These spam texts are not limited to just T-Mobile customers—AT&T and Verizon customers have also received these messages.

Fake T-Mobile text message (T-Mobile scam text)
Example of a fake T-Mobile text message designed to trick you into clicking the link and entering your information.

Example of a Fake T-Mobile Text Message

Free Msg: Your bill is paid for March. Thanks, here's a little gift for you: shuntness.com/7blDCkdtwo

Don't click the links—if you do, don't enter your information on the website you're taken to, even if it looks like the real T-Mobile site.

Other Giveaways and Gifts

Like the "little gift" scam above, there are other versions of fake T-Mobile messages where you're offered a gift or giveaway simply for being a customer.

The scammer usually tries to lure you in with the promise of the latest iPhone or other expensive gifts. However, the only gift they're offering is to steal your identity.

Fake T-Mobile text message (T-Mobile scam text)
Fake T-Mobile texts offer free gifts or money to entice you into clicking the link.

Example of a Fake T-Mobile Text Message

Loyalty Customer Survey Coupon # TM-7732 Awesome! You wont he $90 mobile carrier giveaway!  Go now https://bit.ly/3lcLhAG stop=stop

Scammers may include two links—one to the T-Mobile website and one to their fake website. This makes the text message seem more legitimate, so you trust it. 

Fake T-Mobile text message (T-Mobile scam text)
Clicking on the T-Mobile URL will take you to a safe website, however, clicking on the second link will take you to a phishing website.

Example of a Fake T-Mobile Text Message

/  /  https://www.t-mobile.com Congratulations: You have been chosen for tmobile 30s-survey

t-mobilecom<<HtTp://45.131.3.234/cl/3654_md/2/70963/1501/49/2152539 
And you could get up to 100$ credits today

Confirmation code: TM6168

Temporary Outages

In this T-Mobile text scam, the scammers go a step further to make their messages look legitimate. They design an image using T-Mobile's logo and colors and, again, offer a free gift or cash giveaway.

In this message, they apologize for the temporary outage and offer the gift as compensation for the inconvenience.

Fake T-Mobile text message (T-Mobile scam text)
Scam texts may even use T-Mobile branding and logos to appear more legitimate.

Example of a Fake T-Mobile Text Message

We apologize for the temporary phone outage yesterday. You were one of the 25,000 affected clients. 

In return we are providing you with a $100 FREE GIFT!

Please take this brief 30 second survey about Tmobile and we'll offer you a $100 free item. 

Although the messaging is different, the goal is the same: to get you to click on the scam link and enter your information. The sign of a scam is the link they provide—it's not an official T-Mobile website. 

Genuine T-Mobile Text Messages

Not all T-Mobile text messages are scams or spam texts. T-Mobile does utilize SMS to send you notifications, so it's essential to know how to tell the difference.

The key way to identify a legitimate T-Mobile text message is to look at the link provided. If it takes you to either a t-mo.co or t-mobile.com website, it's legitimate. Both of these are T-Mobile URLs (T-Mo.com redirects to T-Mobile.com). 

Real T-Mobile text message.
Example of a genuine T-Mobile text.

Real T-Mobile text message.
Example of a genuine T-Mobile text message.

Real T-Mobile text message.
Example of a real T-Mobile text message.

How to Identify Fake T-Mobile Texts

The primary way to identify a real T-Mobile text message from a fake one is to look at the link in the text. Genuine T-Mobile messages will link you to a T-Mobile.com or T-Mo.co page.

If you receive a T-Mobile text message and are not sure if it's legitimate, log into your T-Mobile account from the official website or mobile app and check your messages there.

Signs of a Fake T-Mobile Text Message

  • A link to a page other than a T-Mobile.com or T-Mo.com page
  • Spelling and grammatical errors
  • Promises or giveaways that sound too good to be true

Scam Texts Can Have Two URLs

Scammers are getting trickier with their spam text messages, including an official T-Mobile link and a second phishing link. This is to trick you into thinking it's a legitimate message.

How to Protect Yourself from Scam Texts

To lower your chances of being scammed by a fake T-Mobile message:

  • Block spam messages on your phone (you can block this in your messages app or use apps from third-party providers)
  • Don't click on any links from texts
  • Don't enter your information on websites that you can't verify

Download the T-Mobile Scam Shield App

If you're receiving scam texts, you're also likely receiving several scam calls. T-Mobile subscribers (postpaid) can download and use the carrier's free Scam Shield app. It'll help top scam/spam calls from getting through.

If you do fall for a scam text, you should immediately:

  • Change your password to your T-Mobile account
  • Report the fraud to T-Mobile
  • Report the scam to your bank (if you entered your banking or credit card information)
  • Freeze your credit or place a fraud alert (if you entered your Social Security number)
  • Report the scam to the authorities

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I receiving T-Mobile text messages when I'm not a T-Mobile customer?

Most likely, the texts you're receiving are not actually from T-Mobile. Instead, they're fake messages to trick you into thinking they're from the carrier, but they're actually attempting to steal your identity.

In other cases, if you used to be a T-Mobile customer, you may still be receiving notifications from the carrier.

Are these scams just targeting T-Mobile customers?

Unfortunately, these text message scams aren't limited to T-Mobile customers. Scammers impersonate AT&T and Verizon in similar scams also.

Additionally, text message scams are becoming more and more common, targeting customers of banks (e.g., Citibank, Chase, Navy Federal, Wells Fargo), retailers (e.g., Walmart, Target), and other well-known brands and organizations (e.g., Netflix, USPS, FedEx).

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