Reminder: Text Messaging Can Be Used For Scams, Too
This story from Jessica is a good reminder that scammers don't care about the technology, they care about about fooling you. That means they'll use whatever method is available—in this case, SMS.
This is probably not news to you guys but thought I'd put it out there. I just received a text ostensibly from the security department at TD bank enjoining me to call 1-630-303-9101. Since I've never even heard of TD bank, no less had an account with them, I looked it up on the web to confirm that they did exist. Still suspicious, I called the number. It was a recording asking that I provide my credit card or debit card number. Naturally, I did no such thing. Instead, I called the TD bank customer service number provided on their web site. They indicated they've recently had many reports of fraudulent texts going out.
Just a reminder for folks to keep vigilant about never blindly giving out any sort of information over the phone or online.
A lot of people would be suspicious of any unannounced text message, but we imagine there are just as many who are wary of phone calls and phishing emails but don't think to include SMS.
(Photo: ryanoelke)
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Comments:
Actually scammers do care about technology, it can make it a lot easier to fool people en masse.
@j0sh: The post said they don't care about "THE technology," not that they don't care about technology. It's just saying they're agnostic about WHICH technology they might use to snare you.
I reply to such messages with this:
@Ash78: But does anyone offer a 'white list'? I've been up and down with Verizon on things like this before, but only after repeatedly trying to send 'STOP' to the sender to see if it's a service I can opt-out of first. If I can't, I call Verizon.
The only 'cure-all' they can provide is a new number, and only that works so well.
This poster shouldn't have called the number. I have heard of cases where the numbers are international pay-per-call lines. You call them on your dime, they put you on hold and rack up charges against you. And your phone company won;'t be able to help you since you initiated the call. The best thing to do in situations like this is to ignore the text completely; block the number if you can; and maybe notify the bank. But definitely don't call the number.
txt me bak w ur cc# kthx
The second i read this i got a txt from Franklin Bank saying my account was closed for unusual activity and to call 17733092007
@Ash78: There aren't any $5-$10 unlimited text plans. $5 will get you 500 text messages (incoming and outgoing) and $10 will get you 1,000 I think. It's just so much easier not to pay on a text by text basis, and sometimes I get messages from random people and I don't bother reading them.
Watch out for a "adjunct" scam where they ask you to call a number that looks like a regular US long distance number but is actually in a foreign country. For example, area code 345 is in the Cayman islands and the per minute charge might be several dollars. If you don't recognize the area code, look it up before you call it up.
@Writer, TheNinjaReport: Yeah, I'm a pay-as-you-go, as well...but I still don't feel obligated to pay for unsolicited spam messages due to Verizon's lack of a "safe list". So I'm stuck just manually blocking them, one by one.
I made this clear to them up front and they said "Just call us when this happens and we'll adjust the bill."
I got one of these texts the other day. It was for a credit union that I had never heard of.. I called the number for kicks, and right off the bat it asked for my 16 CC # along with the security code.. ahhh no..
What made it even better is that voice on the other end had an Aussie accent! Anyway, I emailed the banks fraud dept. and they really didn't give a crap..
@ViperBorg: but what if the reply ends up enrolling you into some stupid monthly text messaging scheme?
Always Google the number first. Then call from a work phone and just start giving 16 random number, starting over after 7 of them! "23425, no wait it's 80422, damn wrong again, lets try that again I meant to say 111222"
TD bank = commerce bank.
@tundey: 630 is a suburban Chicago area code...how would calling that number cause you to rack up international pay per call charges?
Another Chicago-area area code. Scams in Chicago? Who would have thunk it.
I've been getting lots of them from some girl that wants me to get on IM through the phone since her email doesn't work or something. She pretends to be someone I know and has an emergency she needs my help with >.>
@ColoradoShark: That's what I always do whenever I receive an unsolicited call. It only takes a second, although in this case, I do recognize the area code, as it is one based in the Chicago area. But still-I would think twice before calling a random number from a text message.
How to avoid lots of scammers? Only call out on your cellphone. Monitor all phone calls at home, letting the call hit voice mail. Absolutely never pick up the phone when it rings. Forget texting. Nothing good can come from that waste of time and effort.
there's been a scam here in wi with associated bank and text messages recently.
an 800 number is pretty convincing, hopefully no one fell for it...
@TheWillow:
No TD bank is Toronto Dominion Canada Trust Bank in Canada. One of the largest banks in the country.
Got a similar email a few weeks ago but the phone number was actually an 800 number. The thing about 800 numbers is that the person who owns the number pays for the calls. So I set up a script on my computer to dial the number and stay on the line until it disconnected (pressing digits at set intervals to maximize the time before disconnection) then redialing it again. It ran for about 10 hours before I wasn't able to connect to the number anymore. They either blocked me or the jig was up.
Text messaging in general is a scam. A scam that cons me day after day.
I disabled all text-messaging on my phone (via ATT/Cingular).
What nobody seems able to stop are those telemarketing calls (on landlines and cells) about the warranty on one's car supposedly expiring, or for credit card interest, I think it is, where they say "press 9" to get off the list. Press nothing and hang up.
Reminder: Your aims will one day be used against you. Co-workers be careful about who's career your planning on sabatoging next.
@Ash78: Here, here!
I think is is absolutely *ABSURD* that the recipient of a text message must pay for that text message.
Every time I get a text spam my blood boils that the spammer is actually costing me money.
Imagine if the USPS charged you $.42 for each and every piece of mail you received? No one would ever allow that, but somehow cellphone companies have all gotten away with it. [Charging people for unsolicited usage].
@ScottRose: Don't give the USPS any ideas, now. Soon they'll start sending you a bill for each piece of junk mail. After all, they know where you live.
I got one of those one time...
I called the number to check up on it, and I guess it was already black listed and a recording saying that the number was a suspicious number and under investigation
Taking the great advice in the comments, I a) blocked the scammer to record that it happened b) called Sprint to ask that I not be charged ( oddly, they had no record of an incoming text) and c) disabled texting altogether.
Now I can only hope that having called the number doesn't come back to bite me on the electronic ass.
@Amy Alkon: Some day I will find the person responsible for the car warranty calls, and I will strangle him with my own two hands.
@Ash78:
Great idea, the white lists. This is something that must be addressed by all cell phone providers!
@Ash78: I have Verizon too - but the majority of spam I receive vai text is from Verizon themselves :rolleyes
@jamar0303: Because these countries are part of NANPA - the North American Numbering Plan Association. [en.wikipedia.org]
It lets people make convenient calls to Canada, Carribean and US territories.
Every time I get a spam text I add it to the blocked list and ask Verizon to take it off my bill. I told them I'd keep bugging them until they offered a "safe list" for text messages, allowing me to receive messages from only the numbers I choose.
To date, they still haven't created this option--most likely because it's more profitable to put the burden on the consumer (and it makes it easier to up-sell the $5-$10 unlimited text plans)