Fraud Protection

Spammy Scammers

Let’s talk about spam texts and emails. 

Another day, another round of spam texts and emails trying to sell you things. At best, spam is annoying. At worst, it’s pushing scams or trying to install malware on your device. If you’re tired of getting spam, there are some ways to help. 

When scammers send spammy messages that seem legit (but aren’t), they’re often trying to trick you into clicking links and giving them personal or financial information. Things like passwords, bank accounts, and Social Security numbers are valuable to scammers. With that access to your accounts, scammers could try to steal your money or your identity. Or both. 

To help you cut down on spam and avoid scams: 

• Use filters. Your wireless provider or mobile phone probably has options to filter and block texts from unknown senders. Some providers and call-blocking apps can also block unwanted messages. Many email providers (like Gmail) have strong spam filters turned on by default. But if any spam gets into your inbox, mark it as spam or junk. 
• Protect your personal information. Before you enter personal information on a website, email, or text chain, stop. Ask yourself: Why do they need this information? And what’s going to happen to it? Remember, too: never share your Social Security number with someone who contacts you.    
• Unsubscribe from unwanted emails. Getting fewer unwanted emails helps you avoid clicking on links that can lead to a phishing attack. 
• Report unwanted messages. Unwanted messages often lead to scams. Report them. Use your phone’s “report junk” option or forward unwanted texts to 7726 (SPAM) and unwanted emails to your email provider. 

If you believe you may have been scammed, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.