Text Message Scams Surge Across NC as Officials Urge Residents to Report Every Attempt

Text Message Scams Surge Across NC as Officials Urge Residents to Report Every Attempt

By BC News Staff Writer

Fake delivery notices, toll‑fee alerts, and bank verification texts are hitting phones daily, prompting warnings from state and federal agencies.

Text message scams continue to rise sharply across North Carolina, with residents reporting daily waves of fake delivery updates, unpaid toll notices, and bank‑verification alerts. State officials, including Attorney General Jeff Jackson, are urging the public to report every scam attempt as losses nationwide climb into the hundreds of millions.

The Federal Trade Commission reports that Americans lost more than $470 million to text‑based fraud in a single year, a dramatic increase from 2020. Another FTC analysis shows $86 million in losses tied specifically to smishing in 2025, reflecting a steady upward trend as scammers adopt more sophisticated tactics.

Locally, scam texts have become a near‑constant nuisance for residents in Brunswick, Columbus, and Horry counties, according to community reports. Many messages mimic USPS, UPS, or FedEx delivery updates, while others claim small unpaid toll fees, usually between $2.00 and $5.00 to lure victims into clicking fraudulent links. These links and QB codes often lead to convincing but fake websites designed to steal personal information, banking credentials, or payment details.

Officials say the messages follow a predictable pattern: an unexpected alert, an urgent call to action, and a link that appears legitimate at first glance. Scammers frequently spoof real numbers, use AI‑generated text to avoid typos, and personalize messages using data from previous breaches.

Attorney General Jeff Jackson has repeatedly warned residents not to click links in unsolicited texts and not to reply, even with STOP, which can confirm that a number is active. Instead, he directs North Carolinians to report scam attempts through the NC Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Division. Reports can be filed online through the state’s complaint portal or by calling 1.877.5.NO.SCAM

Federal agencies also encourage reporting. The FTC’s ReportFraud.gov system collects national data used to track patterns, while the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center handles online and digital fraud cases. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigates scams involving mail‑related impersonation.

Coastal communities remain frequent targets due to high delivery volume, seasonal travel, and a large retiree population, groups scammers often focus on. Law enforcement agencies say the best protection remains simple: avoid clicking links, verify concerns directly through official apps or websites, and report every suspicious message.

Residents who receive scam texts can file a report through the NC DOJ’s Consumer Protection Division or through federal partners. Officials emphasize that even unsuccessful scam attempts help investigators identify trends and warn others before they fall victim.

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