PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) – Attorney General Mark Brnovich is warning Arizona consumers about an increase in the number of text scams.
Text scams target consumers by sending text messages with links, hoping unsuspecting receivers will tap, offering them free entry into their phones. Nationwide, the Federal Trade Commission logged a record high 378,119 fraud complaints about text scams in 2021, up from 332,275 in 2020. Those scams cost consumers about $131 million last year, which averages to about $900 per victim. The Arizona Attorney General’s office also saw an increase in complaints over the past year about similar scams in the state.
“Our office has made great strides in battling telephone scams and bogus calls, but the fraudsters are relentless,” said Attorney General Brnovich. “Text messaging schemes are now on the rise, and people are losing their money.”
A few text scam examples are as follows:
- Financial Services Scam: These scammers pretend to be a bank or other financial institution. They send a text about suspicious activity on your bank account and urge you to verify your account username, password, or PIN.
- Delivery Scam: Fraudsters pose as a delivery service and send a text asking you to confirm your credit card number to pay for package delivery.
- Government Imposter Scam: Someone impersonating a government agency such as the IRS or the Social Security Administration may send you a text claiming that the IRS needs your SSN for you to receive your tax return or…
