Phone fraud and spam emails are no longer the sole avenues through which scammers attempt to deceive you and deprive you of your hard-earned money. Text message scams have become increasingly prevalent and are notably challenging to identify upon initial inspection.
Modern familiarity with receiving text-based reminders for library due dates or low balance alerts from banks has somewhat dulled the once prominent warning sign of receiving a text from an unfamiliar number. Exploiting this very perception, scammers have effectively adapted to the situation.
Thankfully, oversight bodies such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other governmental agencies diligently document the most widespread fraudulent schemes. Staying informed about these tactics can be very valuable against falling victim to monetary losses caused by scams.
By leveraging this knowledge, you can safeguard your finances from the evolving strategies of deceitful individuals.
Here are 7 text messages which are usually scams.
1. Package delivery failure notification
Every day, a staggering 48 million packages make their way to recipients through the combined efforts of USPS and UPS, with additional millions being handled by carriers like FedEx. Given the sheer volume of deliveries, scammers capitalize on the likelihood that a substantial portion of the population has at least one package coming in.
Should you receive a text claiming that your package failed to reach its destination, it’s crucial to exercise immediate caution. This is particularly true if the message contains a link instructing you to make a payment for redelivery or processing purposes.
Generally, reputable delivery services do not impose additional charges for cases where you’re unavailable to personally receive a package. Rather than instinctively clicking on the provided link, a wiser approach involves verifying your package’s delivery status through the service provider’s official online tracking system.
This simple step allows you to confirm the authenticity of the message and ensures that your actions are not inadvertently supporting a fraudulent scheme.
By staying vigilant and practicing these safeguards, you can actively protect yourself from scammers who attempt to exploit the massive parcel delivery operations for their illicit gains.
2. Bank transaction notification
If you happen to receive a text message purporting to be from your bank, urging you to verify or refuse a substantial transaction, it’s imperative to resist the temptation to reply. Rather, take a moment to cross-reference your bank’s official website and your email for any legitimate notifications, as there’s a strong likelihood that the text is just a scam.
Responding to such deceptive texts frequently triggers a subsequent phone call from a scammer posing as a bank representative. During this call, the imposter commonly solicits sensitive details related to your bank account or credit card under the guise of assisting you.
This grants them unauthorized access to your financial resources.
These fraudulent callers may also manipulate the conversation to extract critical personal identifiers such as your Social Security number, date of birth, and other confidential information. This data serves as a gateway to identity theft or its sale on the black market.
It’s important to understand that authentic banks do not initiate contact for such critical matters via unsolicited text messages. By educating yourself about these tactics and refusing to engage, you can effectively protect your personal and financial information from these scammers.
3. Frozen bank account notification
In addition to deceptive messages informing about false transactions, fraudulent text communications may also manifest as notifications claiming that your bank account has been frozen, stipulating a payment requirement for account reactivation.
Alternatively, the message might provide instructions prompting you to input your banking login credentials with the promise of restoring account access. Regrettably, these communications are orchestrated by scammers with the intention of manipulating unsuspecting victims.
Should you fall into their trap and type in your login details, these scammers will promptly exploit the provided information to gain unauthorized entry into your financial holdings. This breach grants them unrestricted access to your hard-earned funds, putting your financial security in danger.
4. Amazon notifications
As indicated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), another prevalent form of text message scam involves fraudulent security alerts pretending to be from Amazon.
It’s crucial to grasp that Amazon does not engage in text-based inquiries about your purchase activities. Moreover, the company does not endorse any course of action that involves contacting a customer service number provided in a text message to resolve purported issues.
Should you inadvertently interact with such a text, whether by responding, clicking on an embedded link, or dialing the customer service contact included, you run the risk of being connected with a scam artist.
These scammers are skilled at getting information from unsuspecting individuals and are likely to request sensitive details pertaining to either your Amazon account or your bank account.
5. Loan offer
A reliable lending institution will never initiate contact with you without prior interaction, particularly through unsolicited text messages. Hence, if you find yourself unexpectedly receiving a text message presenting a loan offer, it’s paramount to exercise caution and refrain from trusting it.
You need to be very careful, especially when the text asserts that you need to make an upfront payment to facilitate the process of connecting you with a lender. While certain legitimate loans may entail application fees, a trustworthy lender would never resort to requesting payment from you through a text message.
Scammers often exploit people’s financial vulnerabilities by deploying these tactics, relying on the allure of convenient and quick loan solutions. However, these offers are typically too good to be true and can lead to substantial financial losses or even identity theft.
6. Job offer
If you’ve been actively pursuing job opportunities in recent times, there’s a possibility that you could encounter text messages containing enticing job offers accompanied by links leading to supposed job applications.
However, it’s imperative to recognize that these text messages are overwhelmingly deceptive in nature. Falling victim to these messages can result in the compromise of your personal information or even an attempt to pressure you into making payments as part of the application process.
These fraudulent job offers exploit the eagerness of job seekers and their desire for good employment opportunities. By promising enticing positions and presenting application links, scammers aim to manipulate individuals into giving away sensitive data or parting with their hard-earned money.
7. Text messages from the IRS
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) primarily relies on postal mail for its official communications. It’s vital to understand that the IRS does not initiate contact via telephone calls, emails, or text messages. Hence, if you happen to receive a text message asserting that your tax refund is accessible upon payment of a fee – it probably is a scam.
Furthermore, deceptive text messages may also manifest in other forms, such as claims to be from the IRS. These messages might assert that the IRS intends to pursue legal action against you unless a fee is promptly settled or that you have an immediate obligation to repay taxes owed.
These fabricated scenarios exploit the fear of legal consequences and financial responsibilities to manipulate recipients into complying with the scammers’ demands. Always remember that genuine IRS communications would not resort to such aggressive tactics through unsolicited texts.
