Scam Texts: How to Spot and Avoid Them

Scam texts are fraudulent text messages that trick people into giving out personal information such as PINs, account numbers, passwords, or financial information. Scam texts have been an absolute menace in the recent past because of the increase in phone ownership and usage.

There are chances that you may be a victim of a scam text, which many people are constantly worried about, and it is imperative to know how scam texts work:

How Scam Texts Work

Anyone can receive a scam text at any time of the day. Most often than not, the text messages do not come from someone you know since the scammers use random numbers that they guess to be available or functional. The scammers may also get phone numbers from telecommunication service provider websites.

You can also receive scam texts from someone you know, but it is unlikely. In this case, the scammer has either saved your number on the SIM card they are using or used a cellphone number generator to guess a random person’s phone number, and yours happened to be one of those numbers.

Techniques Used in Scam Texts

The following are some of the methods that scammers use in scam texts:

Imitation of Legit Sources
The technicality and legitimacy of the scam texts are usually convincing. The scammers typically use similar logos, screenshots, images, and text to the service-providing companies they are imitating.
The scam messages may also have the same format as usual text messages, making it look as if it came from a legitimate and authentic source so that the recipient of the scam text may trust that it is legit. The recipient’s confidence and trust in the scam increases; therefore, they will willingly offer the information that the scammer requests them to give.

Assist a Friend or Family Member in Need
Scammers may know some of your close friends or family members through your social media posts. Through some scrupulous means, a scammer may impersonate your friend or relative and send you a text claiming to be them.
They will text you and request financial aid to sort out an emergency or get out of a situation they are involved. They exploit your vulnerability to get away with your hard-earned money.

“Wrong Number” Scam Texts

Another technique used by scam texts is to send a “wrong number” message. The scammer sends a text message to someone known for being gullible or an easy target for scams. They then wait for the person to call them, and once they do, they use the chance to offer some phony deal or ask for money.
In some cases, the scammer may claim that they have “wrongly” sent you some money and will request that you send it back to them. They may even offer to give you a portion of the money and ask you to send a part of it. When you innocently comply, they rip you off your money.

Unsolicited Offers and Prizes
Scam texts may also be unsolicited, claiming that the recipient has won a prize or offering a too-good-to-be-true deal. If the text recipient has won a “prize,” the scammers use emotional manipulation. At that time, the recipient will be excited that they’ve won a prize which, more often than not, did not participate in any competition.
The scammers then ask the person to send money to receive their won prize. In other cases, the scammer offers the recipient a good deal; let’s say they will offer to sell the person goods at a cheaper cost. The recipient of the text will want to seize the opportunity and will realize that it was a scam when the “goods” are not delivered.

Texts Containing Viruses or Malware
Another way scam texts work is that the scammer may send a link containing viruses or malware. You may be requested to open suspicious links or download an application. Once the recipient receives the text or clicks on it, their phone may get infected, and the scammers may obtain unauthorized access to the person’s personal information and may control their phone.
The scammer may also get access to the person’s financial information and may get away with their money.

Offering a “Helping Hand”
The scammers may send you a message saying that they have determined that your account has been compromised in a cyber-attack and need to confirm and verify your personal information. Since you will be in fear of losing your account, you will engage them in conversation. They will claim they want to fix the problem for you and then ask you for sensitive information. Since they now have access to your information, it will be easy for them to rip you off.

How to Avoid Being Scammed via Texts

Be Updated
It is important to note that scammers are constantly devising and developing new tactics to trick people. It is, therefore, essential to stay vigilant, skeptical, and cautious when it comes to text messages from unknown senders. You should always verify the sender’s authenticity and ensure that the text message is from a legitimate source before taking action. In case you come across a suspicious text, you should avoid it.

Privacy is Key
In most cases, the best way to avoid scams via text is to keep your information private and not provide your identity. The scammer will almost always ask you for sensitive information like credit card details, account numbers, physical addresses, and phone numbers. It would be best if you were always careful and stern when scammers make such requests.

Be Alert
When someone offers you a too-good-to-be-true proposal or claims that you have won a prize, yet you know that you did not participate in any competition or lottery, you should take some time to think about it because these are most likely scams. If you are unsure, you may ask the person some follow-up questions. However, you should not send the person money.

Be Cautious
To protect yourself from scam texts, you should never click on links or download attachments from an unknown sender. It will save you a lot of trouble.

Report Suspicious Text Messages
When you receive a suspicious text message that you think might be a scam, you should report them to your service provider or the appropriate authorities for action. Reporting these incidences will go a long way in stopping scammers in their tracks.

Do not Respond to Unknown Numbers
Avoid answering calls from unknown numbers, and check the caller ID before answering. If the number is private, you should neither answer nor engage in conversations with the person. In case you engage in conversation, do not offer your private information.

Bottom-line
Scam texts are an opportunistic way for scammers to target people using tactics they may not be aware exist. It is, therefore, vital that we are always vigilant and cautious when it comes to our safety, especially when dealing with strangers.

The best way to avoid scam texts is never to give out any information to strangers and not download any application or click on any link from unsolicited sources. You may also report scam text messages to your service provider to help them take action.