Has this ever happened to you? Your phone buzzes with a text message. But it’s not your friend, it’s a stranger asking for your personal information. What should you do? How can you protect your identity and avoid getting scammed?
Why do I get these texts?
According to the Federal Trade Commission, “Scammers send fake text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information — things like your password, account number, or Social Security number. If they get that information, they could gain access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers.” Be careful! These texts might seem real but they are only out to steal your personal information. These texts might be sent to you because your phone number is known to scammers. Here’s what you can do to prevent being scammed this way.
What can I do to stop them?
- Don’t answer them. Don’t even say “leave me alone”. Just delete them and report them as junk.
- If you get annoying from random organizations asking for money or information text “STOP”
- You can delete the message, block the number, and if it’s a constant problem report it to your wireless carrier.
Phones can be a great tool to connect with the world but they might be a way for scammers to attack- so be vigilant!
