Text Message (SMS) Scam

[Serenity]

My hubby got a text today (earlier in the morning) in his cellphone, .....

(while driving working for the company)

"8888745817@cuna.org
Credit Union N.A. Please call us immediately at 1-888-874-5817 regarding recent restriction placed on your account. Thank you. "

I'm glad he thought it was kind of weird, & called back that number with a *67 along with his (808) plus the 7 digit cell pnone number, & it said ...

"The number is temporary out of service use advisor pin code & press pound"

Thankfully my hubby didn't give any information out on his cell phone, but only called our bank- Credit Union to confirm, & I think the Credit Union said that they also got the same message, & said "to disregard the message, not to give your personal info, it is illegal & it is a scam , if they have a notice that they don't text people on their phone to let them know"

So, people, if you get the same message, make sure to confirm with your bank first!. And don't just panic, & start giving any old information away.

Please be careful & be aware first & formost!!.

Aloha.

[tutusue]

Re: Cellphone users

A text message sent by a financial institution doesn't even make sense...unlike email because we list our email address in our online banking accounts. But...a text message????? Do people really fall for that? Or am I in the dark ages and financial institutions now ask for text messaging info? Mine don't.

[D'Alani]

Re: Cellphone users

Last night I received two of that same text message about 20 minutes apart. I immediately deleted it because I'm sure any financial institution would never text message. They would more than likely send you a letter and refer to you by name.

[tutusue]

Re: Cellphone users

I'm one of the few who has never, ever sent a text message...nor do I want to receive them! I don't even know how to send one. How do scammers obtain the contact info?

[Serenity]

Re: Cellphone users

Last night I received two of that same text message about 20 minutes apart. I immediately deleted it because I'm sure any financial institution would never text message. They would more than likely send you a letter and refer to you by name.

That is so true!!.

Or infact, they would call you.

Infact, one time, my hubby used his credit card which coinsided with our bank,

He charged quite a lot on his credit card, & the bank thought it was stolen, due to the many amounts that was made within the hour, & so they called my hubby to confirm in regards to his credit card.

Any bank company would never text you.

[Serenity]

Re: Cellphone users

I'm one of the few who has never, ever sent a text message...nor do I want to receive them! I don't even know how to send one. How do scammers obtain the contact info?

My best guess to that one is, would be just a random text to see if anyone would panic & reply back.

Random text phising is just as good as people calling you at home on your landline to bother you & to see if you would give out any personal information too.

I haven't had anyone call me in such long time on my land line, thank goodness.

I also think the only way you could get random text messeges from un known people you don't know, is by either responding to ads on TV to send such text messeges back for this & that, & I am also betting on that, there is some to most of that on our famouse newspaper, too.

I.E. sending a text to receive news updates on your cell phones etc. that opens up to a whole new door for ads, &/or phising in your cell phone(s).

So, just be aware & becareful .

[helen]

Re: Cellphone users

I'm one of the few who has never, ever sent a text message...nor do I want to receive them! I don't even know how to send one. How do scammers obtain the contact info?

When you send a text message to another person who has a cell phone you are using that person's cell phone number as the "to:" part as opposed to using some sort of weird string of text with an @ inside of it.

Speaking as someone (by accident at first and then trying to text message my own home phone) who tried to send a text message to a land line phone number as opposed to a cell phone number my outgoing text message went out but the other side never got nothing.

[tutusue]

Re: Cellphone users

When you send a text message to another person who has a cell phone you are using that person's cell phone number as the "to:" part as opposed to using some sort of weird string of text with an @ inside of it.
[...]

So, is it safe to assume that your text address (is that the right term?) is pretty safe if you text friends but might not be safe if you text a company? Do companies accumulate text addresses and sell them...like email addresses?

[helen]

Re: Cellphone users

I don't think so-called spammed text messages are like spammed email messages as far as the source of where the address come from.

It's more akin to those unsolicated phone calls one could get but instead of being a voice over the telephone trying to inform you that your car warranty is going to expire (they are not aware they called someone who has never owned a car or mentions your name in the message) it's text's that is sent to your cell phone.

Let me offer this example. If I say my cell phone number is (808) 555-1234 you can call me by phone by dialing the numbers 8085551234 on your cell phone. If you wish to send a text message to me from your cell phone you would address to 8085551234.

Now that I think about it most likey someone would make an entry in their cell phone's phonebook for me with my number attached to it. Instead of entering 8085551234 all the time they just find my name in their cell phone's phonebook.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Cellphone users

So, is it safe to assume that your text address (is that the right term?) is pretty safe if you text friends but might not be safe if you text a company? Do companies accumulate text addresses and sell them...like email addresses?

I think the point that Helen is trying to make is that it's quite easy to get a valid text mail address. If you pick up your phone and dial 7 random numbers, you have a fair chance of getting a hold of someone. Likewise if I text a message to some random cell phone number, there's a good chance someone will get it. I may no know who I've sent it to, but it will get to someone.

I think the bottom line here is, I'd NEVER call my bank using a number from a message. It could be bogus. Use the number on the back of your credit card or your phone book.