Is an SMS from my bank asking me to confirm a new payee real?
Genuine new-payee confirmation texts do exist, but fraudulent texts designed to confirm a payee the scammer already set up are also sent. Never use a number or link in the text — call your bank's official number.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
Banks send one-time passcodes and confirmation requests when a new payee is being added to your account. Scammers exploit this by first gaining partial access to your account — or by simply sending a fake alert — and then tricking you into providing the code needed to complete the process. The text arrives and looks genuine, but acting on it confirms a fraudulent payee setup rather than a legitimate one. If you receive a new-payee confirmation you did not initiate, this means someone may already have partial access to your account. Do not press any key, click any link, or call any number in the text. Log in to your banking app directly and check the pending payees, then call your bank's fraud line from the number on your card.
Common red flags
- You did not initiate adding any new payee
- Text contains a link or number to call to 'confirm' or 'cancel'
- Urgency: confirm within five minutes or the request expires
- Any associated call asks you to read back the SMS code
What to do now
- Do not click any link or call any number in the text
- Log in to your banking app directly and check for any pending payee additions
- Call your bank's fraud line from the number on the back of your card
- Ask your bank to cancel the pending payee and review recent account access
Frequently asked questions
What if the text is in the same thread as genuine bank messages?
SMS spoofing can place fake messages into the same thread as real ones. A legitimate-looking thread does not confirm that any specific message is genuine.