HOUSTON – Verizon and T-Mobile customers continue to receive multiple text messages since Tuesday showing a message that appears to have come from their own numbers.
Have you received one? Don’t click it.
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“That link is going to contain malware that is then downloaded to your device and then your device is compromised. And anything on your device, such as passwords, bank account information. You have to be very, very careful whenever you’re clicking links,” Laura Blankenship with the Better Business Bureau told WDIV.
WDIV noted that Verizon said they have been getting thousands of complaints from customers getting spam text messages that seem to come from their own phone number.
It’s a spoofing scam that sends people that click on the click to the website of channel one -- a state television network of Russia, WDIV reported. The Biden administration has cautioned companies to be on alert for cyber attacks following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Verizon is aware that bad actors are sending spam text messages to some customers, which appear to come from the customers’ own number. Our team is actively working to block these messages, and we have engaged with U.S. top law enforcement to identify and stop the source of this fraudulent activity,” Verizon said in a statement shared by WDIV.
T-Mobile shared this statement with KPRC:
“We have no evidence of T-Mobile customers experiencing this, but we’re continuing to monitor. Messages to T-Mobile customers already go through our spam filters which block texts containing known malicious links. However, we’ve taken additional preventative measures and added the known links from this incident to our filters.
“We encourage consumers to be cautious with engaging with unknown senders or unexpected messages, and customers can report spam by forwarding the message to 7726 (SPAM). More info here: https://www.t-mobile.com/privacy-center/education-and-resources/online-safety.”
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