Fake mobile text messages are unfortunately on the rise. That means you’re at an increased risk of your personal information being stolen.
Most major cell phone carriers, like T-Mobile, are targets for phishing scams and spam calls. It’s vital you take steps to protect your personal information and identify spam texts.
Spam texts come in many shapes and sizes. They are unsolicited text messages that may be sent from an unknown number, and include a warning, an announcement, or a link.
The main goal is always the same: scammers want to steal personal information, such as bank information or social security numbers, from the spam text recipients.
For example, some spam texts might use a link to a malicious website that looks real but isn’t. If you enter your personal information, it’s then stolen and could be used for fraud.
Some of the most common spam text templates include:
Even though spam texts and fraudulent messages are constantly evolving, there are always certain tell-tale signs it could be a scam. Here are a few:
Now more than ever, T-Mobile customers have been unfortunately subjected to a number of phishing scams.
A recent example was a spam text sent to T-Mobile customers claiming they had been affected by a service outage, and T-Mobile was offering compensation.
Due to this uptick in scams targeting T-Mobile, the organization has taken efforts to protect their customers, including providing comprehensive information about spam texts and robocalls.
In addition to providing customers with information about how to identify spam texts, T-Mobile also provides options for blocking and reporting scam texts.
T-Mobile offers an extensive protection package to customers to help them stop the spread of spam texts.
If you receive a suspicious text message, report it to T-Mobile immediately. It not only protects your personal information, but also helps T-Mobile monitor scams. To do so:
Many cell phones have a built-in spam filter to help you manage unwanted text messages and calls.
For iPhone iOS, turn on the spam filter by accessing Settings > Messages > Filter Unknown Senders.
Android phone users will need to access Settings > Spam Protection > Enable Spam Protection.
For a full rundown on all of your available options, read our comprehensive guide on how to stop spam texts.
Although a lot can be done to block spam texts, there are more effective ways to stop them, by tackling the source of the problem—that’s the threat of data brokers.
Data brokers harvest your personal information online and sell it to third parties. While some buyers are legitimate marketers, this information can also fall into the wrong hands.
In fact, some spam texts you receive might even come from data brokers themselves, who are trying to uncover even more of your personal information to sell.
By removing yourself from data-broker platforms, you reinforce your data security. This can lead to a dramatic drop in everything from spam texts to robocalls.
Unfortunately, there are also over 500 data-broker platforms in the U.S. alone, meaning opting out of each and every one is quite a lengthy process.
A data-broker removal platform like DeleteMe, however, offers straightforward services that stop data brokers on your behalf.
For as little as $10.75 a month, DeleteMe will complete all data-broker opt-out requests for you, and conduct a scan every few months to ensure your information is safe.
Find out more about how DeleteMe can help you today.
DeleteMe is our premium privacy service that removes you from more than 30 data brokers like Whitepages, Spokeo, BeenVerified, plus many more.
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