• You get a text/e-mail from a company you've never heard of
• They give you a short time to claim a prize
• You have to buy something, or phone a number, to claim your prize
• You only get a prize if you forward the message onto other people
• The phone line you have to call starts with 090 (most expensive phone lines do)
• Expensive 'reverse texts' usually have a 4 or 5 digit number to reply to
• All top rate phone lines SHOULD tell you the price - if they don't beware!
• Remember - most mobile phone companies can bar certain calls
• And - the Telephone Preference Service can stop texts you haven't asked for

What to do if you get one

• Don't reply
• If it's an e-mail, always read the blurb, usually called the 'terms and conditions'
• Report it
• Delete the message if you don't want to report it

How do I report it?

The government says you should contact the Department of Trade and Industry if you get scam texts and e-mails, so they can stop the companies who are sending them.

For scam e-mails, you can register your complaint on The Office of Fair Trading website.

For scam text messages, on the Icstis website.