AARP Pennsylvania

Be ware of new “wrong number’ text scams

AARP Pennsylvania is raising the alarm on a new and rising scam that begins with a mistaken or friendly text and leads to attempts to access personal information or promote fake cryptocurrency investments, according to a news release dated Aug. 11.

Messages often start with phrases like, “Hey, are we still meeting later?”

If the recipient replies, the sender keeps the conversation going, eventually introducing what appears to be a legitimate financial opportunity, according to the news release.

“These criminals are counting on people’s kindness and curiosity,” Mary Bach, AARP Pennsylvania volunteer and chair of the consumer issues task force, said in the news release.

“They want you to lower your guard by pretending to make an honest mistake — but behind the friendly tone is a calculated effort to deceive,” Bach continued.

In April, Americans received more than 19 billion spam texts, according to security software company Robokiller.

Consumer advocates say fake “wrong number” messages are an increasingly common way to push cryptocurrency scams.

After building trust, the sender may claim to lead a lavish lifestyle thanks to crypto and offer their “help” with investing. These investment platforms are often fake and funds vanish once transferred, according to authorities.

AARP Pennsylvania recommends the following to avoid being swindled:

•Don’t reply to texts from unknown numbers.

•Don’t click on links in unsolicited messages.

•Block suspicious numbers to stop future contact.

•Never share personal or financial information over texts.

•Report scam texts by forwarding them to 7726 (SPAM).

Staying cautious and informed are important to avoiding these evolving threats, according to authorities.

Those who receive such texts should report the scams to local law enforcement.

For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Pennsylvania Fraud Resource Page at the website aarp.org/pafraud.