Verizon (& Tracfone) Customers Beware

[Birdie Num Nums]

Verizon (& Tracfone) Customers beware of a recent scam. You may get a text from your own phone number, like I did last night, saying that your bill is paid in full for March and offers a link to a "gift." It's a phishing scam.

News media today say it's limited to Verizon phone customers, but I'm a Tracfone customer. (Tracfone uses the Verizon network.) Fortunately I did not click on the link, but deleted the message entirely, and only learned from the news this morning that this was (is?) a very large phishing effort.

 

[easysurfer]

I don't have either carrier.

But I make a habit of adding my own number on blocklists. A known tactic by spammers is to use the person's number so that number shows up on caller id.

Supposedly, looks more trustworthy but is actually a red flag that screams scam.

 

[donheff]

I have seen a number of these "gift" texts. I didn't notice where they came from but links I am not anticipating (even from friends) always raise red flags; and "get your gift" lights up a strobing stop sign.

 

[target2019]

We're on the VZW network. I haven't seen the phishing one yet, but it is possible there was one. On a Pixel android phone similar messages don't usually pass the spam filter. Some actually get blocked when they're more dangerous.

Even a VZW offer ends up in spam, which is ok with me.