FCC Warns Robotext Scams Are on the Rise - Binary Defense

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Threat Watch FCC Warns Robotext Scams Are on the Rise

FCC Warns Robotext Scams Are on the Rise

The Federal Communications Commission released an alert warning consumers of the growing threat of robotext scams. Threat actors can spoof phone numbers in order to make a consumer trust the source of a text message. Some scammers use a local number while others impersonate government agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Consumers who have filed complaints with the FCC say some of the texts resemble email spam, with links to unwanted and unsolicited products. But many of the texts appear to be ploys to steal valuable personal or financial information. Threat actors will try to create a sense of urgency to trick consumers into providing sensitive information which can then help facilitate further crimes or scams.

ANALYST NOTES

The FCC recommends the following:

• Do not respond to texts from unknown numbers, or any others that appear suspicious.
• Never share sensitive personal or financial information by text.
• Be on the lookout for misspellings, or texts that originate with an email address
• Think twice before clicking any links in a text message. If a friend sends you a text with a suspicious link that seems out of character, call them to make sure they weren’t hacked.
• If a business sends you a text that you weren’t expecting, look up their number online and call them back.
• Remember that government agencies almost never initiate contact by phone or text.
• Report texting scam attempts to your wireless service provider by forwarding unwanted texts to 7726 (or “SPAM”).
• File a complaint with the FCC.

https://www.fcc.gov/robotext-scams-rise