At BSC Solutions Group, we’re passionate about cyber security. Our IT guardian angels work hard to keep our clients safe online. But hacking isn’t limited to your computer—it’s incredibly common on smartphones as well. Here’s how to identify, avoid, and report spam text messages.
What Are Spam Text Messages?
Nearly 85% of the world’s population owns a smartphone, so it’s easy to see why cybercriminals would attempt to target victims on their cellular devices. After all, a smartphone is essentially a handheld computer, containing more of your personal data than you may realize.
Hackers send random messages claiming to be from popular organizations—such as an alert from Amazon informing you of a pending delivery, or a message from AT&T inviting you to claim a free reward. Just as with email phishing attempts, these text messages often look legitimate, causing unsuspecting users to click the link and input their information.
What to Do if You Receive a Spam Text Message
One report estimated that 86 billion spam texts were predicted in 2021. That suggests your chances of getting one are pretty good.
DO NOT Click the Link
As we’ve outlined in our previous blogs around cyber security, never click the link in a suspicious email or text message. Instead, go directly to the organization’s website or contact them directly to see if there are any actions they need you to take.
Do Not Reply With ‘STOP’
Replying with ‘STOP’ is a common way to end subscription-based text messages, however, proceed with caution when replying to potential spam text messages. This often signals to the hacker that the number they reached is valid, and they will continue to target you. Type the number into a search engine (such as Google) to see if it is from a valid organization first.
Use Your Phone’s Built-In Blocking Tools
Some phones or cellular service providers have created blocking tools to help reduce the number of spam text messages you receive. You can report a number as spam, block the number from contacting you again or even block all incoming calls and messages from unknown senders.
Report the Message to Your Carrier and to the Organization
Reporting the message to your carrier helps improve their security efforts. And informing the organization that a hacker is impersonating them can help protect others from falling victim to a cyber attack! The organization may be able to take additional legal steps, and at the very least they can inform their customers to be vigilant.
Want to boost your network’s security? The team at BSC Solutions Group is here to help! Visit our website to learn more about our services, or call 1-(800)-958-2341 to book a free consultation today!
