You receive a text from a random number that says “Are you planning on meeting for dinner tonight?” You don’t remember making dinner plans, so you text back with “Sorry, wrong number.” They respond “Ok, sorry to bother you!”
Seems innocent at first glance, right? That is how scammers who send these types of text messages are hoping to appear.
If you receive a text message from someone you don’t know, it is best to just delete it. Even if you briefly engage, scammers will mark your phone down at active, which could lead to more spam texts and calls.
Fraudster may also try to continue the conversation, working to form a relationship that will lead to pitches of sending money or investing in cryptocurrency schemes. They could also send malicious links or work to gather personal information that may help them access your email or other online accounts.
Remember – never click links, block suspicious numbers and don’t share personal information.
Visit the AARP article or the FTC article to learn more.
If you are a MVSB customer and you are concerned your personal or financial information was compromised due to a text message phishing scam, please call us directly at 800.922.6872 so that we can assist you with protecting your accounts and identity.
