If you obtain an unsolicited text message alongside with a picture of an unknown younger lady, don’t reply it, experts warn.
In the most recent text messaging rip-off, individuals all through the United States have been receiving a text — possible from a quantity with the identical space code as their very own — from a somewhat pleasant lady.
“it’s been a little bit since u called, do u want me yet?” one text reads.
Others have acquired texts with comparable phrasing. “What’s up handsome! I had so much enjoyment the other night. What do you feel ab round 2?” one other reads.
Many of the texts embody a selfie of a red-haired lady, possible in her 20s or 30s — besides that’s not who is definitely sending the text.
“I did a double-take,” Pam Anson, the director of brand name outreach for the Better Business Bureau serving Greater Cleveland, advised WOIO. “It’s a different approach than most scammers take and I didn’t think anything too seriously until more of my friends started to say that they also received it.”
One principle that has circulated on social media is that the rip-off is expounded to intercourse trafficking. One viral submit says that by responding, the individual on the receiving finish “can track your location.”
But that’s not correct, says Ron Pierce, president of IT firm Trinity Solutions.
“It’s a spam text message,” Pierce advised WFMY. “It’s kind of one of those social myths, it gets circulated every now and then. This one has been going around since at least 2020, and maybe even a little before. Then it used to be just the whole sex trafficking angle, but now it’s, ‘watch out, they could track you.’ It’s a lie, they can’t track you by responding to the text or clicking anything like that.”
That’s to not say answering the wrong-number text isn’t with out some dangers, nevertheless. By responding, you affirm to the scammer that your cellphone quantity is professional and they’re able to get extra numbers, says Robyn Householder, CEO of BBB Middle Tennessee.
“Once they have access to your phone, then they have access to your contact list,” she advised WSMV. “One victim makes it a good day for them.”
It additionally could also be a a part of a romance rip-off, which have been on the rise. The Federal Trade Commission says individuals have misplaced greater than US$1.3bil (RM5.4bil) to romance scams in the previous 5 years — together with US$547mil (RM2.3bil) final yr.
The scammers are deceitful and will attempt to con you out of your private data or cash, mentioned Angie Barnett, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Greater Maryland.
“They’re charming, they say the right thing, they make you feel important,” Barnett advised WMAR. “They give you what you want.’
All of the experts agree on one factor — don’t reply. Screenshot the text and attain out to your native regulation enforcement, they counsel. – The Charlotte Observer
