Have you received unsolicited spam texts with a message that appears to be from your bank, credit card company or a shipping company such as FedEx? How about a message just saying “Hi. How are you?” These are called “smishing” scams—scams which involve a text message on your cell phone.
Statistics show that people read nearly all their texts, but may not answer calls from unknown numbers nor respond to emails. Scammers know this, and use smishing to get personal information like your Social Security number, date of birth and usernames and passwords.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the most common text message scam reported in 2022 was a fake warning about bank fraud. You receive a text purportedly from your bank alerting you to a transaction and asking if you approved it. Just by replying, the scammer knows they have found an active phone number. The scammer may then call you with a spoofed caller ID that often mimics that of your actual bank. To stop the “fraudulent” charge, they will instruct you to send money to yourself through a digital wallet app (such as Zelle). They will also tell you to give them the verification code the bank sent you. There is also a sense of urgency that you need to act quickly. Don’t do it!
Another common type of smishing scam uses fraudulent messages from well-known shipping companies. Many of us are ordering online and expecting packages, so a text about package delivery will catch our attention. Scammers will send a fake text message notifying that you have a missed delivery or they need a verified address. Be aware that USPS will not send text messages or emails without the customer requesting the service with a tracking number. Furthermore, official USPS messages will never contain a link. Whenever viewing messages claiming to be from known shippers, never click on a link.
Look for these red flags to avoid smishing scams: the text is unexpected; the text message may contain misspellings and bad grammar; and the phone number may be unusually long. Of course, the most obvious red flag is that you do not have an account with that bank or credit card or you’re not expecting a package.
To avoid becoming a victim of this type of scam:
- Don’t respond! Don’t type “stop” or call the phone number.
- Never click on any link within the text. The link could send you to a fraudulent site or even infect your phone with malware.
- Delete all suspicious texts and report as junk. Block the number as well.
- Contact the company directly through a number that you have or use the contact information listed on their official website.
Make sure your phone has updated to the latest version.
Remember, it’s best to resist the urge to text, email or speak to scammers when you know it’s a scam. This could put you at risk for future scams because they now know they have a working phone number and that you’ll respond and/or engage them in conversation. That information can then be sold on the dark web. It’s best to just hang up the phone or delete the text or email.
Michelle Tabler is an AARP Alaska Volunteer Fraud Education Expert.
