This past summer, the Federal Trade Commission forced the nation’s largest wireless carriers to employ technology to combat robocalls. Here we are approaching the end of the year, and it doesn’t seem like anything’s changed. What happened? Tap or click here to find out. Ever received a text from a stranger asking for someone you don’t know? According to the Better Business Bureau, you may write it off as a wrong number, but it could be a scam.
Wrong number? Not really
The Better Business Bureau is issuing a scam alert about “wrong number” texts. Here’s how the scheme works. You receive a text from a number you don’t recognize. The sender says they met you through a dating site and chatted at some point. Now they are around and want to meet. The polite thing to do is set them straight, right? Respectfully tell them they have the wrong number. But after you reply, you’ll get some nice words and maybe even some suggestive photos of someone. Any messages you send will be ignored. The truth is the person on the other end isn’t even a person. It’s a chatbot that will try to get you to register for a dating or adult website so you can become closer to them and get even more photos. Their end goal is to get your credit card information. Tap or click here for tips on stopping bots and spammers from calling you.
Don’t fall for it
The above is just one example of this type of scam. There are more like it, and more will be developed as people catch on. You don’t need to know all the scams to protect yourself, however. Just take the proper precautions and follow these tips:
If you get a text from a strange number, just ignore it. Responding could put you on a list and you’ll receive more scam calls. Block phone numbers that send suspicious messages, especially if they contain links.Never give out personal or financial information to a stranger over the phone or text. If you get a suspicious text or fall victim to a scam, report it at bbb.org/scamtracker
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