Text scams are raking in millions. And they're no longer just a minor annoyance – they’re looting Americans' accounts.
According to brand new data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), scammers raked in a brutal $470 million through text messages alone.
That’s half a billion dollars lost through little pings that look harmless at first glance. That number is five times what it was in 2020, even though fewer people are actually reporting these scams.
People are less likely to report scams not because they're going away but because they’re getting harder to spot. The texts look more legitimate, the language is sharper, and the traps are better camouflaged.
What’s been working for the scammers?
At the top of the scam leaderboard: fake delivery texts. You get a message saying there's a problem with your UPS or USPS shipment, and you're handed a link to "fix it." You click because you’re expecting something, and boom – you’re rerouted to a phishing site or downloading malware onto your device.
Right behind that are fake job offers, especially task scams, where you’re promised big payouts for completing “simple” online actions. However, they eventually ask you to invest your own money to keep going. And then you're ghosted.
Scammers also leaned heavily into fake fraud alerts that look like they’re from your bank, trying to spook you into calling a number or entering login details. One minute you're thinking you're locking down a hacked account, and the next you’ve handed over your credentials to a hacker.
Another grift involved fake unpaid tolls – scammers pretending you forgot to pay for some random drive and slipping you a link to “settle it now.” The text might claim it’s from your state’s Department of Transportation or a toll service you vaguely recognize.
The message usually says you've got an outstanding toll balance, sometimes as little as a few bucks, and that if you don’t pay immediately, the fees will skyrocket or a collection agency will be involved. These messages are designed to trigger instant anxiety: the fear of license suspension, or even legal trouble.
And let’s not forget the wrong number scam. It starts with a text that seems like an accidental message. Then it turns into a flirtatious convo, then morphs into a long con investment trap, slowly luring people into giving up money or personal info.
How to stay safe?
- Don’t click on links or reply to unexpected texts. If something seems off, contact the company using a verified phone number or official website, not the information in the message.
- Filter unwanted texts before they hit your inbox. Use built-in phone settings or third-party apps to block spam automatically.
- You can always report fraudulent messages directly through your messaging app. On iPhones, it’s the iMessages app, and on Android, it is the Google Messages app.
- If you are based in the US, forward suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM). This helps your wireless provider identify and block similar scam messages. Or file a report with the FTC.
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