Beware of text message scams

United Way has received information that there is a texting scam involving our name. Although these texting scams are not new, they are both annoying and, unfortunately, successful. Texting scams are another type of ‘phishing’ tool. These, charity driven, mobile phishing scams are another way for individuals to prey on a person’s sense of wanting to do good bundled with the enticement of receiving a gift. In the current case, scammers are offering a $5 Target Gift Card.

It is not the gift card that is the focus of the scam. The focus is to gain your trust with the gift card and then take you to a website that asks you to give personal information, sign up for multiple offers or ask for a donation to United Way. Once you enter your information it is scraped and sold.

What can you do about unwanted text messages?

  • Delete unwanted text messages that ask you to enter a special code, or to confirm or provide personal information. Legitimate companies won’t send you a text asking for sensitive information.

  • Don’t click on links in unknown text messages. Links can take you to spoof sites that look real but will steal your personal information.

  • Report spam texts to your carrier. Copy the original message and forward it to 7726 (SPAM) free of charge, if you are an AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, or Sprint subscriber.

To read information about this type of scam, you can click any of the following links:

Thank you to the those that reported this and to the others who followed up and reported it to the FCC

The sharing of information throughout the technology industry is the only way cyber defense teams have a chance to combat cybercrime. Many advancements in cyber defense have been realized in the past few years due to open information sharing. We, as end users, should continue to questions everything and to say something if we see something.

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United Way receives $90,000 grant from Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust

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Kaylie Lockner