Once I sat down to write this text, I got a text that simply said, “Hi.” In another era, I might be interested in the mysterious information of an unknown number. Maybe I’ll be curious who wants to say hello and text. But this is not the first time I’ve played this game.
Scam text is a growing multi-billion dollar industry. As Robocalls become less common – Thanks Laws of 2009 This forces the phone companies to do more to stop them – Complaint Text Scam Increased by 500% From 2015 to 2022. It’s hard to exact numbers The problem is getting worse in spam messages sent on a given date. It’s not just that you’re bombarded with more text scams than ever before. The text is also beginning to become very complex.
I would say I never clicked on the link in the spam text, but I would lie. Maybe it’s about mysterious packages, unpaid parking tickets or something political – it doesn’t matter. With the help of our massive personal data now emerging online, text scams have become increasingly smarter, more targeted, and more dangerous with the help of AI. The software we need to stop spam text has been surpassed by the software used to generate them, which is not very good for our ever-evolving relationship with the technology.
This is bad news, worse news. The good news is that humans have been smarter than machines so far. With a combination of savvy and software, you can reduce your exposure to text scams, or at least you can actually become a victim of the scam.
In retrospect, Robocalls seem to be pretty good
Another text scam I received this week involved alleged unpaid losses and was linked to salary and friendly signatures (“The Toll Road Team wishes you a great day!”). It happens that I may indeed owe someone money to pay, but it is not a “toll road team.” Links in the text ending with “.world” are the biggest red flags. I didn’t click on this link, but if the text is more personalized – maybe it’s by using my name or mentioning the tolls in the state of New York where I live, maybe there will be.
This is where we are going. Common scams, like scams involving unpaid fines, Recruiting staff,,,,, IRSand Undelivered packagesit can become even more dangerous if you include your personal details, including your email and home address. With years of data breaches, more and more data about you Available Scammers need to take advantage of it. Meanwhile, the generated AI allows bad actors to easily produce convincing, error-free messages. Sometimes all you have to do is read the text to make the scammer more leveraged.
Common scams, like scams involving unpaid fines, Recruiting staff,,,,, IRSand Undelivered packagesIf you include your personal details, they can become more dangerous.
“Based on how your reading receipt looks, the bad guy may know that you opened the text,” Teresa Murray, The Consumer Watchdog of the PIRG Education Fund in the United States told me. “Then, God forbids, if you click on any link or something like that, or dial the number on the text, go to the game.”
There are many ways for scammers to win here. If you click on a link, you may be tricked into giving them money or misleading more personal information, which is its currency in the fraud market. Many text scams are also phishing schemes, links to web pages designed to steal your login credentials. At best, click the link to prove to the bad actor that you are alive and willing to use with the program.
In 2024, the total amount of losses to telephone scammers exceeded $25 billion, with an average of about $450 per victim. In fact, older people are less likely to fall due to certain scams, mainly because they have learned not to pick up their phones. The vast majority of Americans over 65 years old said they wouldn’t answer if they didn’t recognize the number, and 57% of the same group have posted their names Nationals do not call the registration form – Database operated by the Federal Trade Commission since 2003- Recent Reports TrueCaller from call blocking service.
Young Americans are even worse. The same report found that older Americans between 18 and 44 are three times more likely to be a phone scam, including spam text, while 25% of the group reported being victimized More than one victim. Only 30% of them say they are not calling the registry.
What you can and can’t do to escape text scams
Because it is designed to stop calls that telecom salespeople don’t need, don’t dial the registry and there isn’t much to reduce spam text. In addition, many of the texts are from abroad, without international telephone police patrol lines, scammers Run a simulation farm In Southeast Asia, you can blow up your phone with alerts about undelivered packages deep inside them.
Sim Farms (also known as Phone Farm or SIM Banks) are systems equipped with multiple SIM cards that can send large amounts of text or location calls at the same time, and Only cost a few hundred dollars. Scammers get phone numbers almost for free, and unlike Robocalls doing real-time spam text, spam text is sent in large quantities in one second. If a number is blocked, the scammer can start using the new number and continue spam. Now, they can also use Generative AI to create more persuasive personalized messages.
Meanwhile, phone companies face fewer regulatory requirements to protect customers from these spam texts. this Tracking behaviorImplemented in 2021, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) tool is provided to prevent Robocalls, including a caller ID verification framework called stirring/shaking. But until 2024 FCC The first rule was issued specifically for spam text.
You might think that stopping spam text should be as easy as using spam filters, such as email providers have been doing for decades. But SMS is not as complicated as email technology. Basic Technology – SMS or Short Message Services – Dating back to the 1980s and Almost no safety.
“SMS lacks built-in security controls, such as email authentication protocol” Adam MeyersThe head of operations at the opposition of cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike explained in an email. “While phone operators and software manufacturers implement filters and block mechanisms, opponents continue to develop their tactics.”
The challenge is to filter out unwanted messages without blocking legitimate messages. This means distinguishing the text from your friends, your bank, Doordash driver, or new friends in the contact list that are not yet in the spam text.
Many companies and organizations also use short codes (five or six digits that must be registered) to send legitimate messages. With CTIAthe trade association of the wireless industry, also controls how people interact with these texts.
Expert tip: Don’t delete trustworthy messages
You may get a lot of automated messages from trusted sources, such as your pharmacy, bank or food delivery service. If you use your phone number for two-factor authentication and text with short codes (including political activity), then the verification code is also included.
Do not delete these messages immediately. This way, if you receive a new message from a trusted source, it may appear in the same thread and avoid the pressure you want to know if this is a real deal. “Even better: Keep on top and put the tag on it and put it in your contact,” said Teresa Murray of Pilger. “Then, if you get the verification code from XYZ Bank,” , but this is not from a saved contact, that could be a red flag for you.”
Unfortunately, scammers don’t care much about the law or the rules, and the phone company just does a lot to crack down on the never-ending spam text. It costs money to build filters that can try to keep up with scammers’ approach, and some operators include these tools at the expense of their services. Others charge for better tools. For example, Verizon offers free basic filters and “add” filters Extra $4 per month.
“It’s really the job to do this. Alex Quilici, CEO of Youmail, the call barrier service, told me. “I sympathize, but the carrier has a pretty difficult problem. ”
You have options when avoiding text scams. In addition to anything your carrier offers, there are similar apps TrueCaller,,,,, Textkiller,,,,, Robokillerand Hiya.
I never paid for one of these services, so I can’t say how capable they work. I can say that not answering your phone is still a solid way to avoid Robocallers and a great way to miss out on calls from a doctor’s office. Caller ID It’s easy to be cheatedso if you don’t want to call, don’t answer. If in doubt, skip the call and dial the legal number.
You can also forward the message to 7726 (spelled spam) or File a complaint on the agency’s website. you can Report various frauds to the FTC or To the Governor’s Attorney General.
The most important thing is not to interact with the liar. Even if they say “hi” and look friendly, responding or even reading spam text will only tell the bad actor that you are a real person and a target. Now, know that you are smarter than AI, and ignore it.
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