FBI Exposes New Android/iPhone Text Scam: Here’s What You Need To Know

It’s kind of scary how many scams there are out there at the moment. What happened to the good old days when you only received phone calls from people you knew? That being said, if you’re an Android or iOS user, the FBI has issued a warning about a new text scam making its rounds that could cost you.

According to the FBI, the iOS and Android text scams come from Chinese gangs who will send you a message. The message sounds friendly and innocent, but the goal is to get you to reply with a “Sorry, wrong number.” From there, the gang will try to continue the conversation, which will eventually lead to you trusting them enough to make a bad financial decision.

The Gretna Police Department, citing the FBI on this text scam, states, “The scammers behind the fake wrong-number text messages are counting on you to continue the conversation. They want to exploit your friendliness. Once they’ve made a connection, they’ll work to become friends or even cultivate a remote romantic relationship. It’s all a ruse, designed to get you to relax your mistrust so you’ll be more susceptible to falling for their scam, such as a cryptocurrency investment or many others targeting victims.”

Staying safe

So, what’s the solution? Very simply: if you do not recognize the number, just go ahead and block or ignore the message. We know, sometimes it might seem a bit rude not to let someone know they’ve messaged the wrong person. However, a moment’s rudeness could end up saving you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

This is not the first time the FBI has warned iOS and Android users about a text scam. We’ve heard of scams that try to convince users that they have unpaid tolls. This leads users to a fake website where they enter their financial information. From there, the scammers will use that information to log into your bank accounts and drain them completely.

But not all these scams are so direct. Some scams include links, which, when clicked, install malware on your phone that logs your login information. In any case, the best thing to do is simply ignore calls and texts from unknown numbers.