Text Message Spams and How to Stop Them

 

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Text Message Spams and How to Stop Them

Text message spam is unwanted text messages selling products services or malware; just like email spam. And like spam emails, it may try to get you to reveal personal information.

Text message spam often uses the promise of free gifts or product offers to get you to provide personal information; it can cost you more on your cell phone bill; and it can slow down your cell phone.

How do text spams work?

Usually, text spammers use the lure of free gifts, like computers, gift cards, or product offers, like cheap mortgages, credit cards, or debt relief services to get you to reveal confidential and personal information. They will say that if you want to claim your gift or pursue an offer, you may need to tell them:

• how much money you make,
• how much you owe,
• your bank account information,
• credit card number, or
• Social Security number.

Clicking on a link in the spam can also install malware that collects personal information from your phone. Once the spammer has your information, it is sold to marketers or, worse, identity thieves.

It can lead to additional charges on your cell phone bill. Your wireless carrier may charge you simply for receiving a text message, regardless of whether you requested it.

And finally, it can slow cell phone performance by taking up space on your phone's memory and CPU.

Text Message Spam is Illegal

It's illegal to send spam text messages (unsolicited commercial email messages) to wireless devices, including cell phones and pagers, unless the sender gets your permission first. It's also illegal to send unsolicited text messages from an auto-dialer ' equipment (also called a robocaller) that stores and dials phone numbers using a random or sequential number generator.

There are a few exceptions to the law:

• If a company has a relationship with you, it can send you things like statements or warranty information.
• Political surveys or non-profit organization fundraising messages.
  

How to stop text spam

1. Delete text messages that ask you to confirm or provide personal information: Legitimate companies don't ask for information like your account numbers or passwords by email or text.
2. Don't reply, and don't click on links provided in the message: Links can install malware on your computer and take you to spoof sites that look real but whose purpose is to steal your information.
3. Treat your personal information like cash: Your Social Security number, credit card numbers, and bank and utility account numbers can be used to steal your money or open new accounts in your name. Don't give them out in response to a text.
4. Place your cell phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry.

How to report text spam

If you are an AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint or Bell subscriber, you can report spam texts to your carrier by copying the original message and forwarding it to the number 7726 (SPAM), free of charge.
Review your cell phone bill for unauthorized charges, and report them to your carrier.

File a Complaint with the FTC

If you receive unwanted commercial text messages, file a complaint with the FTC.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also accepts complaints about unwanted text messages.

And please let us know about any suspicious calls or emails you receive.  We look for patterns so that we can alert the authorities and victims to new scams, before it is too late!

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References:

• FTC.gov
  

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Resources and Related Scams

• For a comprehensive list of national and international agencies to report scams, see this page.