Scam Texts

An unfamiliar number sent a text message yesterday (right). Was it just a wrong number, or was it something more sinister?

The FCC says the message is from a scammer: [bold added]

If you recently got an unexpected text about a gift, an account freeze or even just someone unknown saying “hi,” it’s probably from a fraudster. The Federal Communications Commission issued an advisory last month about an uptick in consumer complaints about suspicious texts...

If there is a link, file or phone number in the text, ignore it. Many scammers are trying to get you to share personal or financial information, or type login credentials into a faked website that looks legitimate. (This is known as phishing.) Some links or attachments can download malicious software to access information on your device...

I know enough not to click on a link and risk infecting the device with malware. But what's the harm in responding?

By replying, you could confirm that your number is active, subjecting you to even more spam.

The article recommends three further steps: 1) Forward the message to 7726, which is the suspicious-text reporting number for all phone carriers; 2) Block future texts from the same number (procedures differ for Apple and Android phones); 3) Modify iPhone settings to filter texts from senders who aren't recognized.

I doubt that any of these moves will reduce scam texts, much less catch the people behind them, but like driving an electric car or collecting tin foil during a war, I'll feel better about myself because I'm making a contribution to the fight against a vast evil. And feeling better about oneself, as opposed to actually doing something effective, seems to be what's important these days.