I got a text claiming to be from BIR, SSS, or a court — is it a scam?
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
Treat it as a scam until proven otherwise. Government agencies generally do not demand payment, threaten arrest, or ask for your OTP, password, or bank details through an unsolicited text with a clickable link. These 'smishing' messages impersonate agencies like the BIR, SSS, Pag-IBIG, or a 'court' to pressure you into paying a fake penalty or handing over credentials. Using deceit to take money is estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code, and doing it through information and communications technology raises the penalty one degree under the Cybercrime Prevention Act (RA 10175, §6). The SIM Registration Act (RA 11934) now ties SIMs to identities to make text scams harder, but fraudsters still spoof sender names or register with fake details. Do not click the link, do not pay, and never share an OTP; verify only through the agency's official hotline or website that you type in yourself, and report the number to the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or NBI and to your telco's spam-report channel.
Primary sources
Frequently asked
How can I tell a government text is fake?
Real agencies do not send unsolicited texts demanding immediate payment, threatening arrest, or containing a link to 'settle' or 'verify' your account. Warning signs: urgency and threats, a shortened or odd link, requests for an OTP or bank/card details, and payment to a personal GCash/Maya number. When unsure, ignore the message and contact the agency through its official published channel.
Is it illegal, or just annoying?
It is a crime if it takes your money by deceit — that is estafa under Art. 315 of the Revised Penal Code, and RA 10175 §6 makes the penalty one degree higher because it is done through ICT. Even attempts and the fraudulent use of a SIM can violate the SIM Registration Act (RA 11934).
What should I do with the message?
Do not click, pay, or reply with any code. Screenshot it, then report the sender number to the PNP-ACG or NBI Cybercrime Division and forward it to your telco's spam-report keyword. Verify anything you are worried about only through the agency's official hotline or website that you type in yourself.
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What to do after an online scam — the first-hour playbook, where to report (PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, NBI, DOJ Office of Cybercrime), how to spot and report investment/Ponzi scams to the SEC, phishing and OTP theft, online-shopping fraud (undelivered, fake, or misrepresented goods), romance and job scams, and the legal basis under estafa (Revised Penal Code Art. 315), RA 8484, RA 10175, RA 8792, RA 7394, and RA 8799.