By Megan Farnam

These days scammers have advanced from the boring outdated email phishing to the young, hip, contemporary text message phishing.

“Congrats! You have won the monthly giveaway! Click here to claim your prize”

“We are attempting to deliver your packages and are unable to locate your address. Follow the link to update your information for delivery”

“Thank you for your purchase of the new iPhone 14. If you did not make this purchase, please click here”

“You qualify for a new credit card with 0% APR. Please complete your application by following this link”

“Your account has been compromised. Click here to validate and secure your account”

These links to purchases you never made, accounts you never applied for, or giveaways that you never entered are an attempt to get you to enter your private information such as usernames and passwords, date of birth, social security number, or credit card information.

Ways to outsmart the scammer:

  • DO NOT click the link
  • If you are worried about the account mentioned or think that it might be real, log into their secure site from your browser and check your information there.
  • Call blocking apps can be installed and can block some phishing text messages as well
  • Report the scam messages
    • Forward the text to “7726” (SPAM)
    • Report through your phone’s messaging app
    • Report to the FTC- www.reportfraud.ftc.gov
  • Do not reply to the text and delete all suspicious test messages
  • Ensure that your smartphone is running on the latest operating system and all security updates have been installed

Resources:

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