You get a text. It looks like it's from your airline, or maybe your pharmacy rewards program. It says your points are about to expire. There's a link to save them. You need to act today.

You almost click.

The FTC issued an alert this week warning that people are reporting these messages to be phishing scams. Scammers say you need to click on a link to save your points or they'll expire today. But if you click, they'll try to steal your personal information, like your Social Security or credit card number, or download harmful software on your phone.

The message looks completely real. That's the whole point.

Reports from security researchers indicate that AT&T and Verizon reward programs have both been used in recent messaging, and it's likely scammers will add more company names to avoid detection.

So it could be your airline. Your grocery store. Your hotel chain. Anyone.

The rule: If a text tells you your points are expiring, don't touch the link. Open the company's app directly, or type their website yourself. Check your points from there. Takes 30 seconds and it's always safe.

Source: FTC Consumer Alert, April 7, 2026 | Techlicious, April 9, 2026

This one landed in millions of inboxes this past week.

You get a text or email that looks exactly like an Apple alert. It says a charge of $279 (or $312, or $156) was just made through your Apple Pay. It says the charge was blocked. It gives you a case number. It tells you to call within 24 hours or the charge will go through.

In reality, there is no suspicious charge. If someone calls, a cybercriminal answers and pretends to work for Apple Support. The caller is then asked for an Apple ID and personal information under the guise of providing help.

One woman nearly lost $15,000 this way. A bank employee caught the fraud just in time and helped stop the transaction.

Here is what makes this scam so effective: it relies on urgency, impersonation, and convincing personal details. Experts say scammers use fear, suggesting fraud, theft, or legal trouble, to get victims to move fast.

The rule: Apple does not send fraud warnings by text or email asking you to call a number. If you're worried about a real charge, open the Wallet app on your iPhone and check your transaction history yourself.

Source: ConsumerAffairs, April 8, 2026

The rewards points scam and the Apple Pay scam share the same playbook as a scam hitting Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp sellers right now.

A buyer contacts you. Before they can pay, they say your account has been flagged and you need to verify it. They send you a link. The link looks like PayPal, Venmo, or a bank login page.

It is not.

The red flags are the same across all three scams this week:

No real company, bank, or rewards program works this way. They don't text you a deadline. They don't tell you to click a link to prevent disaster. And they definitely don't ask for your Social Security number to unblock your account.

The rule: When something goes wrong with an account, you go to that account directly. Never through a link in a text.

Here is a real message circulating right now:

These messages include a case ID, timestamp, and technical-sounding details to appear legitimate. They tell you to call a number right away or show up for an appointment to fix a problem. But when you call, you'll end up talking to scammers pretending to be Apple Support, trying to get your Apple ID, verification codes, or payment information. AppleInsider

Three things give it away every time:

First, the phone number. Search it. It won't connect to Apple. Second, the urgency. Real fraud alerts from Apple appear inside the Wallet app, not in a text with a countdown timer. Third, the threat. Real companies don't tell you your charge "will be released" if you don't call. That's not how any of this works.

The rule: If a message creates urgency, that urgency is the scam. Slow down. Check the real app. Forward the message to ScamRank first if you're not sure.