What Do You Need to Prove a Fake Text Message

April 02, 2022 Post a Comment

Fact Sheets

VERIFY Fact Sheet: 5 tips to spot scam text messages

Wondering if that text bulletin is a scam? Here are five things to look for to make up one's mind if it'south fake.

If you have a cellphone, you likely receive scam text letters. Some of them can appear legitimate, but there are red flags to exist on the lookout for that point to a fake message.

VERIFY is giving you five cardinal tips you lot can utilise to effigy out if a text message is a scam. Click here to read our tips for spotting e-mail scams.

THE SOURCES

Here are v things to expect for to determine if a text message is real or false:

Phony telephone number:Scammers ofttimes try to impersonate well-known companies or the government in text message scams, just they'll use a phony phone number.

The scam text message below claims to be from California's Employment Development Department (EDD), but it comes from a random phone number that doesn't annals on caller ID and has a Minnesota area lawmaking for a message virtually California.

Scammers might also employ a technique called "neighbor spoofing," where the message appears to come from a telephone number with your local area lawmaking. You can always search for the number using a reverse phone lookup tool to find out if it'southward existent. If there are no results, that's a blood-red flag, Rexxfield, a cyber investigation services visitor, says.

Unsolicited message:You might receive a text bulletin that claims there was a problem delivering a package to your dwelling house. You lot should kickoff inquire yourself, "Am I expecting a bundle?" If the respond is no, you're likely dealing with a scammer.

Amazon says scam texts claiming to be from the company will ofttimes include an order confirmation for something you lot didn't purchase or an attachment to a "confirmation." Don't click a link in the text – instead, go to Your Orders on Amazon'due south website to see if there is an order that matches the details in the bulletin. If there isn't one, the message didn't come up from Amazon.

Urgent tone or excitement:Scammers will often utilize an urgent tone or attempt to create a sense of excitement in their text messages. They might claim that yous've won a prize, promise complimentary gift cards or coupons, or warn you about an account allegedly being deactivated.

In our example below, the scammer claims that you'll receive $500 if you sign upwardly for a Whole Foods enquiry projection.

Spelling and grammar errors: A legitimate visitor will typically hire professional writers and editors for concern communications. If you notice foreign phrasing, or spelling and grammar errors, a scammer is probably sending the message, the BBB says.

In our scam text example that claims to exist from the California EDD, there are punctuation issues and the wrong words are capitalized.

Suspicious links:Some scam text letters may inquire you to click a link to merits a souvenir or learn more than about an outcome. The link might have yous to a spoofed website that looks real simply is really fake. Scammers can then steal your username and password if you log in.

The link might likewise take y'all to an unofficial website – like the example below where the scam texter claims to be from Amazon.

Amazon says legitimate company websites will look like this example: https://pay.amazon.com/. Amazon won't send a message with links to an IP address, such every bit http://123.456.789.123/amazon.com/.

AT&T says you can also check to come across if a website is secure past looking at whether there is an "due south" after the "http" in a web address.

Don't click a link in a text message if yous're unsure about whether information technology'due south real or fake.

How to report scam text messages

You can report scam text messages on the messaging app you lot utilize and report them to agencies similar the BBB and FTC.

The FTC says you should look for the option to study junk or spam in your message app. You tin read more most how to do that hither and hither.

You lot tin also re-create the message and forward information technology to 7726 (SPAM), or report it online to the FTC and the BBB.

The BBB also warns against replying to scam text messages. Some scammers will ask you to text "Finish" or "NO" and so you won't receive texts in the future. But your reply actually tells them you have a real, active phone number and could open you up to future scams. If a text seems suspicious, block the phone number and erase the message.