- Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation
Have you received a message from a wrong number? Don’t respond. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently warned of a rise in “wrong number” texts. In June alone this year, RoboKiller estimates that Americans received over 12 billion robo-texts. These communications seem innocuous at first glance, but are often malicious scams.
Fraudsters may use a variety of tactics to entice their target, but there is one common factor to the scam, cryptocurrency. For example, you might get a message from an unknown number, saying: “Hi [name], please let me know if you’re still interested in touring the property today.” Once you reply, even just to tell the sender that they have a wrong number, you’re now an active target that the scammer may try to talk into a crypto investment scheme. However, there is no investment opportunity, nor was there ever any property to be toured.
The next most popular approach a swindler may use is pretending to mistake you for a romantic partner or prospective date. At its worst, the scammer asks for personal information or compromising photos. Thereafter, the texter may attempt to blackmail you into sending them money or more sensitive information.
Whatever the method may be, do not respond to any unsolicited messages from phone numbers you do not recognize. The fraudster’s end goal is to get you interested, confused, or scared enough to enter a conversation.
The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation gathered tips to help you avoid wrong number text scams before it’s too late.
- Do not reply. If you do respond, your number may be identified as “active”, and you will likely see an uptick in bogus calls or messages.
- Avoid clicking on any embedded links sent by a mysterious number. These links will lead you to websites designed to steal personal information and/or install malware on your device.
- Stay up to date with any smart device system updates. These updates often include patches to stop or block current security threats.
- Never send an unknown individual any money, personal information, or other details. They could be used to harm you.
- Finally, remember, just because someone has your name or number, does not mean they know you.
If you believe you’ve received a suspicious text, delete the message immediately and forward it to the FCC at SPAM (7726). You may also report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at: www.reportfraud.ftc.gov. Visit the Office of Consumer Affair’s Consumer Guide to Scams for more information on scams, fraud, and identity theft.
