If you’re signed up for a rewards program, you may have gotten texts warning that your points are expiring soon. A message like that may catch your attention, but people are reporting to the FTC that some of those messages aren’t real — and come from scammers. So how can you tell which messages are real and which are phishing scams?

Here’s how these scams work: Scammers say you need to click on a link to save your points or they’ll expire today. But if you click, they’ll try to steal your personal information (like your Social Security or credit card number) or download harmful software on your phone. 

If you get a text like this, resist the urge to click. Check it out first. Go to the company’s website or app, but find it yourself. Don’t use any links from the text. Then check your rewards points. Are they really expiring?