Spam Text Message & Phishing

Scammers send fake text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information. If they get that information, they could gain access to your email, financial, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information. Often, these bad actors try to get you to click on links in text messages by promising you something.

They might:

• Promise free prizes, gift cards, or coupons
• Offer you a low or no interest credit card
• Promise to help pay off your student loans

Another technique used to get information is by sending fake messages that say the fraudsters have information about your account or a transaction.

Scammers might:

• Say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity on your account
• Claim there’s a problem with your payment information
• Send you a fake invoice and tell you to contact them if you didn’t authorize the purchase
• Send you a package delivery notification

The messages might ask you to give some personal information – like your financial account, credit card, or Social Security number – to claim your gift or pursue the offer. Or they might tell you to click on a link to learn more about the issue. Some links might take you to a spoofed website that
looks real but isn’t or install malware on your phone. If you log in, the scammers can steal your username and password.

If you get an unwanted text message, there are three ways to report it:

• Copy the message and forward it to 7726 (SPAM). This helps your wireless provider block similar messages in the future.
• Report it on the messaging app you use. Look for the option to report junk or spam.
• Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Source: FTC.gov