Scammers are always adapting their methods to bilk people out of money. A growing method is using text messaging. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has received a large number of reports from people reporting getting texts from scammers impersonating people and organizations you know and trust – such as their bank or Amazon.
Text scams try to get you to act NOW. Whether it’s the thrill of getting a free item or the panic about a large unauthorized charge, scammers know that these texts are hard to ignore. The most-reported text scam looks like a fraud alert from your bank, but it’s fake. It might say there’s suspicious activity on your account and tell you to call a number. Or to reply “yes or no” to confirm a big purchase (that you didn’t really make). But don’t do it. There is no real problem. They just want your money or personal information.
According to the FTC, these are the five most common text message scams:
1.
Copycat bank fraud prevention alerts. People get a text supposedly from a bank asking them to call a number ASAP about suspicious activity or to reply YES or NO to verify whether a transaction was authorized. If they reply, they’ll get a call from a phony “fraud department” claiming they want to “help get your money back.” What they really want to do is make unauthorized transfers. What’s more, they may ask for personal information like Social Security numbers, setting people up for possible identity theft.
2.
Bogus “gifts” that can cost you. What about those texts claiming to be from a well-known company offering a free gift or reward? If people click the link and use their credit card to cover the small “shipping fee,” they’ve just handed over their account information to a scammer - with fraudulent charges likely to follow.
3.
Fake package delivery problems. On any given day, what home or business isn’t expecting a delivery? Scammers understand how our shopping habits have changed and have updated their sleazy tactics accordingly. People may get a text pretending to be from the U.S. Postal Service, FedEx, or UPS claiming there’s a problem with a delivery. The text links to a convincing-looking – but utterly bogus – website that asks for a credit card number to cover a small “redelivery fee.”
4.
Phony job offers. With workplaces in transition, some scammers are using texts to perpetrate old-school forms of fraud – for example, fake “mystery shopper” jobs or bogus money-making offers for driving around with cars wrapped in ads. Other texts target people who post their resumes on employment websites. They claim to offer jobs and even send job seekers checks, usually with instructions to send some of the money to a different address for materials, training, or the like. By the time the check bounces, the person’s money – and the phony “employer” – are long gone.
5)
Not-really-from-Amazon security alerts. People may get what looks like a message from “Amazon,” asking to verify a big-ticket order they didn’t place. Concerned about the security of their account, people call the number in the text and are connected to a phony Amazon rep who offers to “fix” their account. But oopsie! Several zeroes are mistakenly added to the “refund” and the “operator” needs the caller to return the overpayment, often in the form of gift card PIN numbers.
So how do you avoid these and other text scams?
Don’t click on links or respond to unexpected texts. If you think a text might be legit, contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real. Don’t use the information in the text message.
Report text scams. Forward them to 7726 (SPAM). This helps your wireless provider spot and block similar messages.
If you spot a text scam, the FTC wants to hear about it. Tell them what happened at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
If you are a victim of a scam, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and your local police department.