PGA National Resort text scam? How to spot it and what to do next

You got a text with the PGA National Resort name on it. Maybe it's a free stay, a "booking problem," or a link to claim something, and you're wondering if it's real.

By the end of this guide, you'll know how to check it safely. If you already tapped, replied, or paid, you'll also know how to lock things down.

The short answer

Don't tap the link or reply. If you think the message might be real, contact the resort using a number or website you look up yourself. Then report the text as junk and delete it. If you already paid or typed in a password, call your bank and change that password right away.

Before you start

• What you need: your phone, and your bank or card app if you paid anything.
• How long it takes: about 5 minutes to check and report. Plan on 20 to 30 minutes if you need to secure accounts.
• Don't wipe anything yet. Screenshot the text first. You'll want it for your bank or a fraud report.

Step 1: Check the text for red flags

Scam texts that borrow a resort's name usually follow a few familiar patterns. They offer a prize or free stay you never entered to win. They say there's a "problem with your reservation." Or they promise easy money for "rating" hotels.

1. Look at the sender. A random 10-digit number or an email address in your texts is a warning sign.
2. Read the link without tapping it. Shortened links or odd domains that only include the resort's name are classic tricks.
3. Notice the pressure. Phrases like "claim within 24 hours" or "your booking will be canceled" are there to rush you.
4. Ask whether you actually have a booking there. If you don't, you can stop here. It's a scam.

A free Florida getaway sounds great in a New York winter. That's exactly why these work.

Step 2: Verify it with the resort directly

Never use the phone number or link in the text. Scammers control both.

1. Open your browser and type the resort's name into a search engine yourself.
2. Find the official site and its contact page. You can also use the number on a past confirmation email you know is real.
3. Call and ask whether they sent you the message.

If you have no real reservation and they say they didn't text you, you've confirmed it.

Step 3: Report and delete the text

Reporting helps your carrier block the sender for everyone.

iPhone

1. Open the message. If it's from an unknown sender, tap Report Junk under the text.
2. Tap Delete and Report Junk.
3. To block only, tap the sender at the top → Info (or the number) → Block Caller.

Android (Google Messages, used on Pixel)

1. Touch and hold the conversation.
2. Tap Block, check Report spam, then tap OK.

Android (Samsung Messages)

1. Open the conversation and tap the three dots at the top right.
2. Tap Block number (wording varies by version) and confirm.

Any phone

1. Forward the text to 7726 (it spells SPAM). Major U.S. carriers use this to track scam numbers.
2. Report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Step 4: If you replied

Replying "STOP" or "yes" usually just tells scammers your number is live. That's annoying, but not a disaster.

1. Stop responding, even if they keep texting.
2. Block and report the number using Step 3.
3. Expect more spam for a while, and be extra careful with any "follow-up" texts or calls.

Step 5: If you clicked the link

Opening a scam page usually isn't the problem on its own. Typing information into it is.

1. Close the page. Don't download anything it offers.
2. Think about what you entered. A name, email, password, card number?
3. Change any password you typed in, and change it anywhere else you use that same password.
4. Turn on two-step verification (a code sent to your phone or an app) for that account.

We have a full walkthrough for this in I clicked a link in a scam text. Now what?.

Step 6: If you paid or shared personal info

Move quickly here. Banks can often do more the sooner you call.

1. Call your bank or card company using the number on the back of your card.
2. Tell them it was a scam and ask them to dispute the charge and issue a new card.
3. If you paid by Zelle, wire, gift card, or crypto, call the bank or the gift card company anyway. Recovery is harder, but it's worth trying fast.
4. If you gave your Social Security number, freeze your credit with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A freeze is free and stops anyone from opening new credit in your name.
5. File a report at reportfraud.ftc.gov. If you lost money, also file at ic3.gov.

Still not working? Try these

• Still getting texts from new numbers? That's common after you reply. Keep reporting each one, and turn on your phone's spam filter (see below).
• Seeing strange charges after you canceled your card? Call the bank again and ask them to check for linked accounts or saved payment methods.
• Getting password reset emails you didn't request? Someone may be trying your account. Change the password again and check your account's Security page for devices you don't recognize.
• Did a "support" person call you after the text? Hang up. Our guide on fake tech support scams covers that follow-up trick.

Keep it from happening again

• Filter unknown senders. On iPhone, go to Settings → Apps → Messages → Unknown & Spam → Filter Unknown Senders. On older versions, it's under Settings → Messages. In Google Messages, tap your profile picture → Messages settings → Protection & safety → Spam protection.
• Go to the source. For any company texting about money, bookings, or prizes, open their app or type their website yourself.
• Use unique passwords. A password manager makes this easy, and it keeps one mistake from unlocking everything.
• Learn the pattern. The same playbook shows up in E-ZPass toll texts. Once you spot one, the rest get easy to recognize.

Want a second set of eyes?

If you clicked, paid, or just aren't sure what you typed in, an ITGoNYC tech can hop on a secure remote session. We'll check your accounts, reset passwords, set up two-step verification, and tighten your phone's spam settings. Call or text 347-549-9059, or open a ticket, and we'll give you a flat quote before we touch anything.