![]() ![]() If you think any of your personal or financial information might have been compromised, you can also freeze your credit for free, to avoid potential identity theft.Today, 33% of Americans prefer a text to a phone call. You can also use an antivirus app to scan your device for malware, and change the passwords of any accounts you think may have been compromised. Then, go into your device's settings, check for any apps you don't remember downloading and delete them. If you do click on a malicious link, experts say your best bet is to avoid entering any information, and disconnect your device from the internet as soon as possible. You can also report potential spam texts and emails to government agencies and law enforcement, including filling out the Federal Trade Commission's online fraud complaint form and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crime Complaint Center. Instead, Verizon advises customers to forward spam texts, particularly those claiming to be from Verizon, to S-P-A-M (7726). The company says you shouldn't respond to suspicious messages at all. Verizon offers similar advice for dealing with potential phishing attacks involving suspicious texts. The FCC adds that you should "never share your personal or financial information via email, text messages, or over the phone." The agency also advises against clicking on links or attachments you receive in any text message, and to call your friend who texts you a link before clicking, to make sure they weren't hacked. Security experts suggest that you should always be wary of answering phone calls or text messages from unidentified or unknown numbers. In the case of the same-number spam texts, it appears that " bad actors" are even able to spoof recipients' own numbers – adding another layer to the process. ![]() In some cases, spammers trick your phone's Caller ID to make it seem like a text or call is coming from a local or government-associated number, a practice called " spoofing." Spam texts are often referred to as SMS phishing, or "smishing" attacks, where scammers try to trick wireless users into sharing personal information or clicking on malware-ridden links. ![]() Robokiller said Americans received a total of 87.8 billion spam text messages in 2021, a 58% increase from the previous year. Last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) warned that spam texts have been rising during the Covid-19 pandemic, with scammers more likely to prey on desperate Americans suffering from health or financial hardships. The recent spate of same-number spam texts comes amid a rise in overall spam texts received by U.S. "We have no indication of any Russian involvement" in the spam texts, Young said.Ī spokesman for AT&T told CNBC Make It: "We are monitoring this situation closely and have not seen anything similar on our network." A spokesperson for T-Mobile did not immediately respond to CNBC Make It's request for comment. In other cases, the spam message includes a link that claims to take the recipient to a Verizon survey, according to CNET.Ī writer for The Verge noted that clicking on the link in one particular message took the writer to the website for Channel One Russia, a television network run by the Russian government. Robokiller, a company that makes a mobile app to block spam calls and texts, said it had tracked more than 5,000 incidents of the same-number spam text messages over the past week, as of Thursday.Īccording to Robokiller, typical versions of the spam texts feature messages that say, "Free Msg: Your bill is paid for March," along with a dubious link that claims to offer a free gift. ![]()
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