How to spot a text scam
The text isn’t relevant to you
Have you received a text message that claims you’ve won a competition you didn’t enter? A parcel delivery fee you weren’t expecting? Or a final demand on a bill you’ve never seen? If you get a text out of the blue that either doesn’t feel relevant or too good to be true, ensure you never click on any links.
The call-to-action is a link
Clicking on a link in a scam text message could expose your phone to malware that may compromise its security, or take you to a fake version of a brand or company’s website to gather personal information. Ask yourself, what is it asking you to do, and is there a way you can find out? For example, if it’s an account-based query, visit your account another way, because it could be a scam text.
The link doesn’t look official
If the link looks dodgy to you, the chances are you’re correct. Links that don’t contain any of the company or brand’s normal URL structure, or use link-shorten tools such as bit.ly, are often giveaways. Equally, if the text message has come from a random unrecognised number, you should be wary about what it asks you to do.
It’s a different style to previous messages
Even if the message appears in the same chain as previous messages from a company or brand, it doesn’t mean this latest one is real – scammers can spoof real phone numbers to make them look authentic. So, does it look like all the others you’ve received? Is the style different? Is it asking you to do something they’ve never asked before?
For example, if previous messages have asked you to log into your account via an app, but this latest one says to click a link, it may not be genuine.
All the usual signs
As with email and phone scams, the common traits are the same for text scams. Does it convey a sense of urgency (positive or negative), often coupled with a threat to meet a deadline. Does it contain spelling or punctuation mistakes? And is it asking you for personal details? If in doubt, as mentioned above, ensure you never click on any links.