This week, on one sheet

Going around this week

The messages and calls going around right now, with the short answer and the first things to do. Print it, or send it to someone who should see it.

1. Is that text about an unpaid toll real?

   You cannot tell from the text. Do not pay or tap the link in it. Check with the toll agency yourself, on a phone number or website you know is real.

   1. Do not tap any link in the text, and do not reply.
   2. Find out whether a balance is really due. Do not use the number or the link in the text. Contact your state’s tolling agency using a phone number or website you know is real. You can check your account on the toll service’s real website or call its customer service number.
   3. Report the text. Use your phone’s “report junk” option, or forward the text to 7726 (SPAM).

2. Someone asked me to pay with a gift card. Is that real?

   No. Only scammers tell you to buy a gift card and give them the numbers.

   1. Hang up. Do not pay.
   2. Do not read out the card number or PIN, and do not send a photo of the card.
   3. If the caller says they are a friend or relative, contact that person yourself to check that everything is all right.

3. Is that text about a package real?

   Do not tap the link. USPS says its tracking texts never contain one. If you are expecting a package, track it on the carrier’s or the store’s own website.

   1. Do not tap the link, and do not reply.
   2. If you are expecting a package, look it up yourself. Go to the store website or account where you placed the order and check the shipping and tracking there. For a Postal Service package, go to USPS.com for tracking.
   3. Report the text. The places are listed at the end of this page.

4. A relative called in trouble and needs money now. Is that really them?

   Do not trust the voice. Hang up and call your relative on a number you know is theirs.

   1. Resist the pressure to send money right away. Hang up, or tell the person you will call them right back.
   2. Call or message your relative on a phone number you know is right. Ask if they are really in trouble.
   3. If you cannot reach them, call someone else in your family or circle of friends, even if the caller said to keep it a secret. A trusted person can help you figure out whether the story is true.

Checked against official sources on November 13, 2026. Full pages and sources at cybersafetytoday.com.