Family emergency? Near in danger? No, big SMS scam!
If you receive a message from an unknown number pretending to be someone close to you, chances are it’s a scam. At first, the usurpers tell you that they are in trouble, often justifying a loss or breakage of the phone. Then they urge you to help them (financially of course) to resolve the situation. After all, are you going to buy a smartphone for your friend in distress?
A scam that targets panic
It is by playing on the panic instilled by the message that the scammer hopes to induce you to pay. The scammers are increasingly targeting individuals through their smartphones. You may have seen text messages indicating a delivery to be recovered in exchange for a sum, or tax regulations to be regularized on a link that does not really look like impots.gouv.fr.
The scammers know how to redouble their inventiveness to trap you. Be careful.
If in doubt, try to contact your loved one first. Do not hesitate to report scams on @SignalConso https://t.co/MHOtNTDHzl
— Olivia Gregoire (@oliviagregoire) December 13, 2022
Detect risk easily
To avoid falling into the trap, nothing could be simpler. Try to reach your loved one on their usual number to identify whether or not they are having a real smartphone problem. Remember, these scams live on our moments of vulnerability! The grazersthese web scammers, mainly play on the naivety of their victims in moments of panic or fear.
Finally, you can report a suspicious number or an online scam. Tools are at your disposal to protect other users. If you yourself are the victim of an online scam, the Home Office offers a guide actions to be taken as well as resources at your disposal.
