Scam text check card

From the Circle to Search video. Check a suspicious text in three moves, then match it against the seven texts sellers get most. From @mayorscript.

On Android: Circle to Search

  1. Open the text you're not sure about.
  2. Touch and hold the home button or the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Draw a circle around the message.

Google shows an AI Overview that says whether it looks like a scam and what to do next. If it shows red flags, Google's advice is to delete the message and block the number.

Circle to Search is on select Android phones, including Pixel 6 and later. Keep the Google app updated. Google says the scam check appears when its systems are confident in the answer, so you won't get one on every message.

On iPhone (or any phone): Google Lens

  1. Take a screenshot of the message.
  2. Open the Google app and tap the Lens (camera) icon.
  3. Tap the screenshot.

Google lists this route for the Google app on Android and iOS.

The rule that matters most. The scan is a second opinion, not your bank. Before you ship anything, open your own bank or payment app and check the money is actually there. A text, a screenshot or an email is not a payment.

7 scam texts sellers get, and what to do

1. The fake credit alert. "You have received $480.00 from..." with a link or a "confirm to release funds" step.
Do: check your bank app. Real money doesn't need you to click a link to arrive. Don't ship until it shows there.
2. The overpayment refund. "I sent too much by mistake, please refund the difference."
Do: check the balance in your bank app first. If the first payment isn't really there, the "refund" is the scam. Refund only to the original payment, never to a new account.
3. The delivery fee. "Your parcel is waiting. Pay a small fee to release it" with a link.
Do: don't tap the link. Go to the courier's own app or website and look up the tracking number there.
4. The account locked text. "Your account has been suspended, verify now."
Do: don't use the link. Open the app or site yourself, or call the number on the back of your card.
5. The supplier bank change. "We've changed our bank details, please pay the new account."
Do: call the supplier on a number you already had, before you pay a cent to new details.
6. The code request. "I sent you a code by mistake, can you send it back?"
Do: never share a code. A code sent to your phone is a key to one of your accounts.
7. The prize. "You've won. Pay a small fee or share your details to claim."
Do: delete and block. A real prize doesn't ask you to pay first.

Two messages you can copy

Thanks for your order. I'll ship as soon as the payment shows in my account. That usually takes a few minutes, and I'll message you when it's on its way.
Thanks for letting me know. I only update bank details after a call on the number I already have for you. I'll call you now.

Sources: Google's post "Spot text scams using Circle to Search on Android" (blog.google, October 15, 2026); Google's post on scam detection in Circle to Search and Lens (December 2025); Android Help, "Search your screen with Circle to Search". Results, availability and compatibility vary by phone and region.