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HOW TO SPOT SCAM TEXTS LIKE A PRO (WITH EXAMPLES)
Posted in Safety & privacy, Scams & fraud on 2022-01-07 by Amanda (Consumer
Protection BC) :: Comments (10)
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Scam texts are increasingly popular with scammers these days. Learn how to dodge
and weave scam texts like a pro by keeping these key tips in mind.
WHAT ARE SCAM TEXTS?
Scam texts are a phishing method used to capture your personal or financial
information (sometimes referred to as “smishing”).
The scammers will text you and attempt to impersonate a business you’re familiar
with. The text may say that it’s coming from a trusted and well-known brand such
as Netflix, Amazon, a bank, an internet provider, and so on. The scammers find
creative ways to lure you into providing sensitive info, such as your credit
card information, usually with the goal of stealing your money or your identity.
COMMON EXAMPLES
They may spark your curiosity by saying you’re owed a refund due to overpayment
or you missed your parcel delivery. They may also use scare tactics such as
threatening to close your accounts or arresting you if you don’t comply.
Sometimes they will simply pretend that they need to verify your identity or
update your payment method.
RED FLAGS THAT IT’S A SCAM TEXT
* Claims to come from a credible organization or familiar brand
* A tone of urgency that asks you to take immediate action
* An attempt to spark your curiosity
* A threat of negative consequences or the promise of a reward
* Includes a suspicious link
* Bad grammar or formatting
HOW TO SPOT SCAM TEXTS LIKE A PRO
* Watch out for texts that seem to come out of the blue from a number you don’t
recognize
* Always independently verify if it’s actually coming from the business it says
it is (i.e. call your bank directly to confirm)
* Don’t trust texts with suspicious links and never click on them
* Delete the text so there’s no chance you will accidentally click the link
* Do not reply to any texts that you suspect may be a scam
* Never reply to anyone over text with personal, confidential, or financial
information to “verify” identity
* Follow us on Facebook, where we often share real-life examples of scam-texts
(like the ones above)
* Protect your loved ones by spreading the word
Learn more about scam texts and different phishing forms to watch out for by
checking out Get Cyber Safe.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU FALL VICTIM TO A SCAM TEXT
If you feel that you may have been a victim of fraud, please contact your local
police (non-emergency) as soon as possible and report it to the Canadian Anti
Fraud Centre.
DID YOU LIKE THIS? YOU MIGHT LIKE THESE POSTS TOO!
Top 6 tips to protect you from scammers
Phishing: don’t get reeled in
Were you a victim of a scam? Watch out for the “recovery pitch”
What to do if you receive a spam text
ABOUT CONSUMER PROTECTION BC
We are responsible for regulating specific industries and certain consumer
transactions in British Columbia. If your concern is captured under the laws we
enforce, we will use the tools at our disposal to assist you. If we can’t help
you directly, we will be happy to provide you with as much information as
possible. Depending on your concern, another organization may be the ones to
speak to; other times, court or legal assistance may be the best option. Explore
our website at www.consumerprotectionbc.ca.
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10 THOUGHTS ON “HOW TO SPOT SCAM TEXTS LIKE A PRO (WITH EXAMPLES)”
1. Art Schievink says:
January 13, 2022 at 9:11 pm
Reporting the cops is a complete waste of time. They will claim that they do
not have the resources to track down the scammers.
I know this because someone tried to scam me with a cheque written on a non
existant branch of TD Bank. I was selling a sewing machine and the scammer
replied to my ad.
God granted me the intelligence to see through it all.
Again I reiterate that the cops did nothing even though I kept this fish on
the hook for over two weeks.
Reply
1. Char says:
January 27, 2022 at 11:06 am
They totally are too busy. The Federal Government has cut back federal
policing funding so far over the years that they don’t have the
specialized plain clothes sections or the training courses necessary to
investigate these crimes which take a lot of time and know how. It’s a
total shame I know but police resources are thin.
Reply
2. Graham says:
January 15, 2022 at 9:50 am
My question is about travel refunds of fully paid for a cruise next April
told credit for further trips but no cash refund until Dec 32/2024 yeah 2024
They cancelled the contact I would like a refund
Graham
Reply
1. Shoko says:
January 17, 2022 at 11:31 am
Hi Graham, thank you for reaching out to us. We have a lot of helpful
information on our website about travel refunds and the page expands on
eligibility, required steps, and more. Please visit the page and if you
have any questions, please contact us. Thank you!
Reply
3. widalDen says:
January 17, 2022 at 9:57 am
Avoid These Common Text Scams Instead of responding to these fraudulent text
messages, inform your service provider of any suspicious activity. As a
reminder, report all mobile numbers used and never provide bank information
or send money.
Reply
1. Shoko says:
January 17, 2022 at 12:22 pm
Thanks for the extra tips!
Reply
4. widalDen says:
January 17, 2022 at 10:55 pm
Legitimate text messages from a business tend to use natural language,
proper punctuation and will likely be free of misspellings and grammatical
errors. Unusual language is a sign of a text scam. It can be tricky to
identify a text scam by the link itself.
Reply
5. widalDen says:
January 23, 2022 at 12:21 am
If you were to receive a text from a random number asking for help, you
might be inclined to send money to an unverified destination in case it
would help a loved one. Family crisis text scams use this psychology to
trick recipients into thinking a family member is in danger—and that they
need to send money to correct the situation.
Reply
6. Josephorali says:
January 23, 2022 at 3:43 am
I just want to say thank you for this great website. I found a solution here
on consumerprotectionbc.ca for my issue.
Reply
7. atolllDen says:
January 23, 2022 at 5:05 pm
Legitimate businesses commonly use a URL shortener in their text messages to
save on the allotted SMS character count and to track the effectiveness of
marketing campaigns. A clue of a legitimate URL is by spotting the name of
the URL shortening service in the URL itself, such as bit.ly or tinyurl.
Reply
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[avatar]
Amanda (Consumer Protection BC)
Amanda works in marketing and communications for Consumer Protection BC. She is
our regular blogger and manages our Facebook and Instagram accounts. When she's
not working, you can find her at the beach or in the forest with her two awesome
dogs, Luna and Yogi.
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