![]() Step 3 – do a reality check – if the text looks like it's coming from a company, do you have an account or dealings with them? If not, it’s most likely spam.See the HSBC example and note how the link doesn't reference HSBC at all. Many spammers use link shorteners to disguise where the link is coming from, so be suspicious of shortened links too. Step 2 – see if the included URL looks shady – if the full website address isn't in the link, it's probably not genuine.(Many large corporations tackle this by using Verified SMS). See the examples above and below claiming to be from Lloyds and HSBC banks. That said, plenty of text scams pretend to be big enterprises. Step 1 – check if there's a brand or company name included in the text – no name is an indicator of spam. How to recognise a spam textĪlthough scammers these days are very creative with their text message content, you can usually spot whether your texts are legit or not. Each of those apps will have access to some of your personal data – data that could be accessible to a con artist if you click a scam link. Think about how many apps you have on your smartphone right now. ![]() Scammers can do this because our phones aren't entirely secure. Or worse – they're trying to empty your bank account. They aim to trick you into tapping a dodgy link that could infect your device with malware or access your personal data. Some text scams can be very convincing, looking like they've been sent from your bank or service provider – perhaps offering free gifts or another incentive. Marketing spam texts (junk messages) are really irritating, but it's the fraudulent texts that present a real worry. Usually, spam text messages are sent from a computer via an email or messaging app, not another mobile device. It could be a marketing text you didn't ask for or a phishing text where some fraudster is trying to scam you. What are spam text messages?Īny type of unsolicited or unwanted text message is classed as spam. But first, let's just define what spam texts are. If you're despairing over spam messages, the good news is that there are several ways you can stop them, as we outline in this article. ![]() Spam texts are so common (Americans alone receive 16.9 spam texts a month) that you wouldn't think they're illegal. Spam text messages are one of life's great annoyances they're right up there with spam calls.
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