Can your identity be stolen from a text message?
The latest form is smishing, another tool used by cybercriminals to obtain personally identifiable information and steal identities by infecting your smartphone through texts or an SMS message. The software’s malicious intent comes in the form of viruses, ransomware, spyware or adware.
How do I stop random texts?
On an Android phone, you can disable all potential spam messages from the Messages app. Tap the three-dot icon in the upper right of the app and select Settings > Spam protection and turn on the Enable spam protection switch. Your phone will now alert you if an incoming message is suspected of being spam.
Can a text message contain a virus?
Text messages are just one of the ways that criminals try to persuade people to download malware. Simply opening and reading an SMS text message is unlikely to infect your phone, but you can get a virus or malware if you download an infected attachment or click a link to a compromised website.
How do scammer get your information?
Hacking – the scammer gains access to your information by exploiting security weaknesses on your computer, mobile device or network. Scammers can also obtain your information when they hack into business or government accounts. You may not even be aware that some of your information has made its way to scammers.
What is a phishing phone call?
Vishing—or voice phishing—is the use of fraudulent phone calls to trick people into giving money or revealing personal information. Vishing frequently involves a criminal pretending to represent a trusted institution, company, or government agency.
Can you call the police on a scammer?
It is generally best to file a police report on a scammer, reach out to your bank, and file a complaint with the appropriate federal agency as soon as possible after you have been scammed. To file a police report for a scam, you will need make a call to or visit the fraud division of your local police department.