While we all know about email scams and how to detect them, there’s another type of scam that is occurring with greater frequency – text message (or SMS) scams. These scams are sent to your cell phone via text message. Most text message scams are similar to email scams in nature, but they’re often shorter in length and more urgent in voice.
While we have no way of adding protections to personal cell phones to prevent or raise awareness of text message scams, you can use the suggestions below to ensure that you don’t fall victim.
- Text messages from people you’ve never given your phone number to are probably not legit.
- Text messages from email addresses rather than phone numbers are more likely to be a scam.
- Text messages from someone you know from a phone number with an area code that does not make sense for them are likely a scam.
- Example: a text message from someone who has only lived in Rhode Island is not likely to have an area code other than 401.
- Remember that text messages from an individual are not a normal or official means of communication at the College.
- Text messages are used by the college for emergency alerts.
- Text messages from people who have never texted you or to whom you have never given your number are likely a scam.
- If you have someone’s number but they text you from a different one, text the known number to ask about the questionable message.
- Use your cell phone’s block controls to block phone numbers or email addresses that text scam messages.
Sometimes a text message will seem urgent, asking you to visit a link to update information. If the URL does not match the organization that they’re purporting to be, it’s likely a scam. If you receive a text such as that one, you can manually visit the organization’s website rather than use the potentially malicious link.
If you are ever unsure of a text message, you can send a screenshot of it to the Helpdesk at helpdesk@providence.edu.
