![]() Security experts suggest that you should always be wary of answering phone calls or text messages from unidentified or unknown numbers. In the case of the same-number spam texts, it appears that " bad actors" are even able to spoof recipients' own numbers – adding another layer to the process. In some cases, spammers trick your phone's Caller ID to make it seem like a text or call is coming from a local or government-associated number, a practice called " spoofing." Spam texts are often referred to as SMS phishing, or "smishing" attacks, where scammers try to trick wireless users into sharing personal information or clicking on malware-ridden links. Robokiller said Americans received a total of 87.8 billion spam text messages in 2021, a 58% increase from the previous year. Last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) warned that spam texts have been rising during the Covid-19 pandemic, with scammers more likely to prey on desperate Americans suffering from health or financial hardships. The recent spate of same-number spam texts comes amid a rise in overall spam texts received by U.S. ![]() ![]() "We have no indication of any Russian involvement" in the spam texts, Young said.Ī spokesman for AT&T told CNBC Make It: "We are monitoring this situation closely and have not seen anything similar on our network." A spokesperson for T-Mobile did not immediately respond to CNBC Make It's request for comment. In other cases, the spam message includes a link that claims to take the recipient to a Verizon survey, according to CNET.Ī writer for The Verge noted that clicking on the link in one particular message took the writer to the website for Channel One Russia, a television network run by the Russian government. Robokiller, a company that makes a mobile app to block spam calls and texts, said it had tracked more than 5,000 incidents of the same-number spam text messages over the past week, as of Thursday.Īccording to Robokiller, typical versions of the spam texts feature messages that say, "Free Msg: Your bill is paid for March," along with a dubious link that claims to offer a free gift.
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