MidHudson News is reporting the State Division of Consumer Protection has warned residents of a text phishing scheme targeting cell phone users as part of an attempt to steal data. Scam artists are impersonating financial institutions claiming that a customer’s account is compromised as the result of unusual activity. In truth, the message is an attempt to trick the recipient into sharing personal information such as a credit card, bank account or Social Security numbers. The state is offering the following advice:
- Inspect the sender’s information to confirm that the message was generated from a legitimate source, without clicking on the link or calling the number on the text.
- Do not respond to the text, not even by writing STOP to the sender.
- Always remember that banks will never ask you to provide confidential information through text.
- If you are suspicious, call the bank or financial institution directly to understand the protocols for alerting customers to potential fraud.
- Do not post sensitive information online.
- Be alert for misspelled words, which are used to bypass a phone carrier’s filter system for fraud.
- Block unknown senders from your cell phone.
Read more at MidHudsonNews [dot] com.