High riskText Message

Prescription Ready Text Scam

This scam texts that your prescription is ready and needs a small delivery fee or confirmation of your details, linking to a fake page that collects your card and personal or health information.

Quick verdict

Risk level
High risk
Scam type
Healthcare impersonation (smishing)
Main red flag
A pharmacy text asking for a fee or personal details to release your prescription.
What to do first
Do not tap the link. Contact your pharmacy directly using a number you look up.

How this scam works

This scam texts that your prescription is ready and needs a small delivery fee or confirmation of your details, linking to a fake page that collects your card and personal or health information.

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: A pharmacy text asking for a fee or personal details to release your prescription. Do not tap the link. Contact your pharmacy directly using a number you look up.

Scammers rotate tactics constantly, the same operation may also run the Appointment Reminder Scam and the Medicare Scam. See the full Text Message Scams guides hub, or test a suspicious message with the scam checker.

How to spot this scam

  • A prescription text you were not expecting
  • A small delivery, dispensing, or 'confirmation' fee
  • A request for card, address, or health details by link
  • A sender that is not your actual pharmacy
  • Urgency that your medication will be cancelled

What the message looks like

Example pattern, not a real report
Example pattern: 'Your prescription is ready for delivery. A £2.50 delivery fee is required. Confirm your address and payment details 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: A pharmacy text asking for a fee or personal details to release your prescription.

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

  • Contact your pharmacy or doctor directly to check any prescription
  • Do not enter payment or health details through a link
  • Report the text to your mobile provider's spam service if available
  • Delete the message and block the sender

Already responded? Do this now

  • Do not enter card or personal details on the page
  • If you paid, contact your bank to flag your card
  • Be alert to misuse of any health or personal details you shared
  • Change any password you entered

Mistakes to avoid

  • Do not pay a 'prescription fee' through a text link
  • Do not share health or card details to 'confirm'
  • Do not assume it is genuine because you take medication

Related scams to know

Medium risk Text 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.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
High risk Government & Tax

Medicare Scam

In this scam a caller or message poses as Medicare or a health insurer, offering a new card, refund, or free equipment, then asks you to confirm your Medicare or personal ID number, which is later used for fraud.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
High risk Text Message

Refund Failed Text Scam

This scam texts that a refund you are owed 'could not be processed' and asks you to confirm or re-enter your bank or card details through a link that captures them for fraud.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team

Common questions

Do pharmacies charge prescription fees by text link?
Genuine charges are handled through your pharmacy's official systems. A text demanding a fee or details through a link is a common scam, so verify with the pharmacy directly.
Why is health data valuable to scammers?
Personal and health details can be used for identity theft and targeted follow-up scams, which is why these texts try to collect them.
I entered my details. What now?
Contact your bank if you shared card details, watch for misuse of your information, and report the message.
How do I check a real prescription?
Call your pharmacy or GP using official contact details, or use their official app, rather than the link in the text.

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.