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Oct 8, 2024 · Pop quiz: How many times has someone tried to scam you today? Beyond the spammy emails and phone calls, take a look at your texts. Chances are, there are a few scam text messages mixed in—and ...
- Sage Lazzaro
- The Message Is Not Specifically For You
- It's Chock Full of Spelling and Grammatical Errors
- The Message Promises Freebies
- The Message Demands Immediate Action
- It Contains Mysterious Links
- The Message Is from A Bank Or Some Other Financial Institution
- It's Come from An Unusual Number
It's pretty likely that you exchange text messages with a relatively small group of people — friends, family and co-workers. Most people don't get a lot of "cold call" texts from people they don't know, so a message from someone you don't know, or a simple "Hello" directed to no one in particular, is a big red flag. A group message or a text that d...
For whatever reason, spammers who specialize in sending fake messages seem especially bad at grammar and spelling. That's good news for us, because any text purporting to come from a large, legitimate business will ensure its texts are letter perfect. If you get a text that has obvious errors and it's not from a close friend, you can assume it's fa...
Sweepstakes, giveaways and prizes are the stock and trade of the modern marketing industry, so just because you get a text that promises free stuff, that doesn't automatically imply you've gotten a fake test. But there's a good chance it's spam — look for the context clues. If you've been told you have already won, and you simply need to complete s...
One common trick that spammers and fraudsters use is to install a sense of urgency in their message — whether it's to convince you that the message is coming from a friend who needs immediate financial assistance, the IRS looking for a missing payment, or a company warning that you have a problem with your car, house, or some other asset and need t...
Fraudulent texters and spammers try to disguise themselves, so they might include unidentified links in their messages. Never tap a link that doesn't come from someone you know — the link could lead to a phishing site or contain malware. In fact, you can generally assume any text you get from an unknown party that has mysterious links is probably f...
As a general rule, financial institutions don't contact customers via text message, and those that do won't ask for personal details or demand payments that way. Often, spammers won't know who you bank with, so you might get text messages from a bank you don't even have an account with. If they get lucky, though, and spam you with a text from a fin...
Finally, beware of texts from unknown parties — either phone numbers you don't recognize or, worse, lengthy numbers that don't conform to the standard usual 10-digit domestic phone number convention. Texts from international numbers or automated systems can generate these awkward numbers and they are tell-tale signs that you're getting something fr...
- Henry Blodget
Here’s how to tell a real text message from a scam – even if the con artist is posing as a business you know and trust. Scammers love phishing schemes, but they aren’t just limited to emails ...
- Hari Ravichandran
- Missed delivery notification from UPS or others. With more people shopping online because of the pandemic, delivery notification scam texts have run rampant.
- “Is this you?” messages purporting to be from a friend or colleague. A message from a friend, family member, or employer would likely prompt an immediate response.
- Text scams claiming that your bank is closing your account. Scammers know that sending you anything to do with your bank account will prompt you to act without thinking.
- Texts claiming that you’ve won a prize or sweepstakes. Winning a tropical holiday to the Bahamas, a new MacBook, or a million dollar cash prize would make your day.
Jan 16, 2024 · 5 tips to identify fake text messages or text scams. While each text scam looks a little different, there are some common hallmarks you can look out for to spot a fraud. We checked out pages from the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission to bring you the best information on avoiding text scams. 1. Unusually long numbers
If you get a text message you weren’t expecting and it asks you to give some personal or financial information, don’t click on any links. Legitimate companies won’t ask for information about your account by text. If you think the message might be real, contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real. Not the ...
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Jun 17, 2024 · Scammers might attempt to extract sensitive information from you. 2. You become a target for more sophisticated attacks. Responding to an unsolicited text message tells scammers that your phone number is active, allowing them to target you with scams and phishing attempts. 3. Phishing schemes.
