ANYONE with a phone needs to look out for dangerous scam text messages.
An official EE warning reveals how they turn up on your phone and steal your “usernames, passwords and credit card details”.
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When scammers pretend to be a business or trusted contact to hoodwink you, it’s called phishing.
And when these phishing scams take place over text message, it’s known as smishing.
In a cyber memo from EE, the company warns over these “suspicious text messages that contain malicious links or information requiring you to respond.”
The mobile network revealed five key warning signs that you need to know.
But EE warned: “Scams get ever more sophisticated, making them harder to spot.
“However, there are some tell-tale signs you can keep an eye out for.”
Here are the five signs you must watch out for in texts on your Android or iPhone:
- They use an urgent tone and ask for immediate action
- You’re asked to hand over sensitive personal or financial info
- It asks you to call an unknown number, click on a link or reply to the text
- The text contains suspicious links or spelling errors
- It’s an unexpected contact from a company you don’t normally deal with
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If you receive a scam message, you should report it right away.
This can help to stop other people from becoming scam victims.
In the UK or US, you can do this by forwarding it to 7726 for free.
Importantly, if you’ve already interacted with a suspicious message then you need to act fast.
If you think your bank account has been compromised – or you’ve handed over financial details – then you must contact your bank immediately.
Don’t waste any time: the faster you act, the less likely it is that your money vanishes forever.
You should also reset your passwords, especially for key accounts like your email address.
