Is the Verizon $20 Credit Text a Scam? Here’s How Experts Say to Safely Get Your Refund
Security experts reveal how to claim your refund without falling for phishing scams
Receiving a text about a customer refund can seem like good news—until you start to suspect it may simply be a scam. That has been the case for Verizon customers who are now scratching their heads over a message about a $20 credit that was sent in response to a widespread outage this week. But is this refund legitimate? Keep reading to learn more about why customers are suspicious and what security experts say you should do to safely receive your credit.
What the Verizon text actually says
Following a Verizon outage that impacted more than a million people, customers have reported receiving a text from the company that appears to be the same for all recipients.
“Valued Verizon Customer—Yesterday, we let you down. For that we are truly sorry,” the message reads, according to a Facebook post from WAFB Channel 9. “We would like to extend you a $20 account credit that can be easily redeemed via the link below.”
It then goes on to tell recipients to click on the provided link to receive the offer. Though this credit is part of the company’s attempts to please customers, the language in the text and method of contact has left many confused and suspicious that they are actually being targeted in a scam. With so many red flags, it’s no wonder customers immediately questioned whether this was the real deal.
Is the Verizon refund a scam?
Though the Verizon refund credit has been widely advertised, the reception has been largely negative. Customers who received it were skeptical that the message was actually sent by the company, leading many to visit Reddit to check the authenticity.
“If it wasn’t a scam, why wouldn’t they just credit my account?” shared a Reddit poster. “First thing they want you to do is log in with your username and password.”
Others were quick to point out why so many have been cautious about engaging with the text message.
“Unknown number, not a Verizon.com link, kind of odd wording,” someone commented. ‘I wonder if they meant it to look a little suspicious, hoping people wouldn’t click on the link.”
With all of these concerns, you may be wondering if this Verizon $20 credit is actually a scam.
The answer: There is in fact a $20 credit being issued to customers, according to stories posted by multiple news outlets. Verizon also confirmed in a post on “X” that users will receive a text message when a credit is available.
However, the company has only mentioned one way to actually redeem the credit—and it isn’t through a link. Find out more about how you can get your refund.
The safe way to claim your $20 Verizon credit
Since this credit is not automatically applied to your account, you’ll have to take steps to redeem it. The confirmed (and safest method) is to use the My Verizon app to redeem the $20. Customers on Reddit have also shared that this is the only method that has worked for them.
“On the mobile app, on the ‘me’ page there is a ‘take action’ icon above your bill info,” someone advised. “Select that and then select ‘redeem.’” Tip: You may also see this button labeled as “mobile actions.”
Still don’t see it in your account? You’re not alone. There are several people who have said they have yet to see the $20 offer even after following the above steps.
If you have not yet received one of the refund text messages or don’t see the $20 available to you in the app, you can contact Verizon customer service by phone or online chat. A representative can help give you the credit that you’re due from the outage.
Red flags that scream ‘phishing scam’
While the Verizon $20 credit is legitimate, the company’s mass text message undoubtedly has raised some eyebrows. The reason: It’s full of elements that are normally seen as red flags for scams.
Ping Yang, director of the Center for Information Assurance and Cybersecurity at Binghamton University, State University of New York, shares that there are several warning signs that a message is a phishing attempt.
Here are some of the most common:
- Requests for sensitive information such as passwords, date of birth, Social security numbers and answers to security questions.
- Use of generic greetings like “Dear valued customer” or “Dear user”.
- Directions to click on links that may lead to malware-infected websites or request confidential information.
- Spelling and grammatical errors meant to bypass spam filters and appear more authentic.
- Shortened URLs to obscure the destination, making it difficult for users to know where the links will lead them before clicking.
- Email addresses or phone numbers that are not associated with claimed organizations.
- Deals that seem too good to be true, such as money or free gifts.
- A sense of urgency meant to prompt immediate response from users, such as threatening account closure within 24 hours.
With most of these red flags prevalent in the Verizon text, it’s easy to see why customers were afraid to engage.
There’s yet another concern, as well—it’s possible that scammers could copy the official message to dupe customers.
“Scammers love to piggyback on real-world moments like outages and refunds because people are already expecting a message,” advises Whitney Joy Smith, founder and CEO at The Smith Investigation Agency. “If a Verizon outage refund text starts circulating, the biggest red flag is any message that tries to rush you into clicking a link, logging in or sharing personal details like your account password, Social Security number or a one-time passcode.”
Since it could be tough to distinguish the authentic text message from one sent by a criminal, your best course of action is to claim your refund via confirmed methods.
“My advice is to treat any refund text as untrusted by default and verify through the appropriate channel yourself,” adds Smith. This means checking for your refund via the My Verizon app or typing the official Verizon website into your browser instead of using the provided link in the text.
By taking these simple precautions, you can claim your refund with confidence—and keep your personal information safe from scammers. Your $20 is waiting, and now you know exactly how to get it securely!
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