Medium riskText Message

Appointment Reminder Scam

This scam sends a fake appointment reminder for a doctor, dentist, licensing office, or service and asks you to confirm, reschedule, or pay a small fee through a link that quietly harvests your personal or card details.

Quick verdict

Risk level
Medium risk
Scam type
Notification phishing scam
Main red flag
An appointment reminder for something you do not recall booking, asking you to confirm or pay through a link.
What to do first
Do not use the link. Contact the surgery, clinic, or office directly using a number you already have.

How this scam works

This scam sends a fake appointment reminder for a doctor, dentist, licensing office, or service and asks you to confirm, reschedule, or pay a small fee through a link that quietly harvests your personal or card details.

Text-message scams, known as "smishing", reach you directly on your phone where a link is only a tap away and messages feel personal and urgent. They impersonate trusted senders, banks, couriers, government, or even people you know, and depend on you acting before you pause to verify.

In short, the giveaway is usually simple: An appointment reminder for something you do not recall booking, asking you to confirm or pay through a link. Do not use the link. Contact the surgery, clinic, or office directly using a number you already have.

Scammers rotate tactics constantly, the same operation may also run the Fake Customs Fee Text and the Fake Bank Alert Text Scam. See the full Text Message Scams guides hub, or test a suspicious message with the scam checker.

How to spot this scam

  • A reminder for an appointment you do not remember making
  • A small 'confirmation' or 'booking' fee requested through a link
  • A link that does not match the real clinic, surgery, or agency website
  • Pressure to act quickly or risk losing your slot
  • A request for personal, NHS, or card details to confirm attendance

What the message looks like

Example pattern, not a real report
Example pattern: 'NHS Reminder: You have an appointment booked for tomorrow at 10:15. A £2.50 booking confirmation fee is required. Confirm or reschedule here: [suspicious link]'

This is a fictional, anonymised example used to illustrate the pattern. It is not a verified real message, and any names are used only to show how the scam typically reads.

What gives it away: An appointment reminder for something you do not recall booking, asking you to confirm or pay through a link.

The scale of it

$330M
reported lost to text-message scams in the US in 2022, more than double the year before
Source: US Federal Trade Commission
#1
fake bank fraud alerts were the most-reported text scam type in 2022
Source: US Federal Trade Commission

How to protect yourself

  • Avoid the link and do not enter any details
  • Contact the clinic, surgery, or office directly using a number from their official site or your records
  • Check whether you actually have an appointment booked through your usual account or app
  • Delete the message and block the sender if it looks suspicious

Already responded? Do this now

  • Stop and do not enter any further information on the page
  • If you entered card details, contact your bank to flag or freeze the card
  • Change the password for any account where you reused that login
  • Keep an eye on your statements and accounts for unusual activity

Mistakes to avoid

  • Do not reply to confirm or cancel through the text
  • Do not share verification codes sent to your phone
  • Do not pay any fee requested through the link

Related scams to know

High risk Delivery

Fake Customs Fee Text

This scam texts that a parcel is held in customs and a fee is due, linking to a fake page that collects your card and personal details.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
High risk Bank & Payment

Fake Bank Alert Text Scam

This scam sends a text claiming suspicious activity on your account, then steers you to a fake login page or a 'fraud agent' who pressures you to move money.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Medium risk Text Message

Fake Voicemail Text Scam

This scam sends a text or email claiming you have a new voicemail or missed call, with a link to 'listen' that leads to a phishing page or prompts you to install an app.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team

Common questions

Do real clinics charge a fee to confirm an appointment by text?
Genuine reminders rarely ask for payment to confirm attendance, and any real charge can be checked directly with the provider. A fee demanded through a text link is a common scam pattern.
The reminder used my name, so is it genuine?
Not necessarily. Scammers sometimes include names obtained from data leaks to appear convincing. Verify any appointment through the provider's official contact details rather than the message.
What if I already confirmed and paid?
Contact your bank straight away to report the payment and protect your card. Acting quickly improves the chance the charge can be stopped or disputed.
How can I report an appointment reminder scam text?
You can forward suspicious texts to your mobile provider's spam reporting service and report the message to your national fraud reporting body.

Last reviewed June 2026 · Written & reviewed by the

Disclaimer: This page provides educational information only to help you recognise common scam patterns. It is not legal, financial, cybersecurity, or law enforcement advice, and it does not confirm whether any specific message, company, or person is genuine or fraudulent. When in doubt, contact the official organisation directly and report concerns to your local authorities.