Smart phone users read this. Scammers are sending text messages with sophisticated messages and viral links designed to infect your phone. In reality this has been going on for years, but hackers are getting better at social engineering and will continue to devise new ways to try to trick us to “click here”.
I recently got a text on my iPhone with this message: “Here’s the latest version of Gmail: https: //goo.ol/FKr4Ui [OPEN ON YOUR iPHONE]” (This is slightly different so no one will click it)!
No, I didn’t click it. If you get super curious when you get one of these texts, open up a browser on your computer and google the text of the message. You will have no trouble finding links to it being a scam. (Be safe out there)!
When you get a text, especially if it is from someone anonymous don’t click on any links. If it is from a trusted source, consider the context of the link before clicking. Does it seems normal or not?
Point in case: There is rampant identity theft on the internet. Over a 4 week period, I (George Golbov) was contacted by three “old friends” via Messenger out of the blue. Within minutes each of them were telling me all about this great US Government grant money they had received. None of these calls were actually my old friends, but were scammers who had hacked their identities and then proceeded to contact everyone on their contact list. How do you know the text is coming from who you think?
If it’s your friend or relative, fine, but just don’t click on something because you are curious. It might compromise your smart phone, allow a criminal access to your personal data or cost you some money.