Recognizing A Scam Text

[jesse_the_k]

I want to believe that I can outwit scammers, but even true cybersecurity experts like Troy Hunt have been fooled. I'm tech support for some of my age-mates, so I needed to write this anyway, so I'm sharing it.

Just got an SMS/text in Messages on my iPhone

which claimed

1-727-241-1788
Text Message • SMS Apple Notice: A charge of $157.89 was deducted from your Apple ID via Apple Pay. If this was not done by you, Call support now 1-833-869-3310.

This failed the “smell test” five ways

1. SMS not iMessage. Apple invented the iMessage protocol to provide Apple-specific features, including fun visuals. All other platforms now have fun visuals, and Messages can send via other protocols, but when Apple contacts me, iMessage appears above the text.
2. Lacked official Apple info. When Apple contacts me via Messages, I see an official Apple Badge such as the white and gray items with Apple logos in the image.
3. Message via wrong channel. Apple emails me receipts; I didn't find the dollar amount in my email. I have my Credit Union push a notification whenever my Apple Pay–credit card gets charged, and I didn’t receive any notice from them.
4. No Apple Pay charges at official site https://support.apple.com/en-us/118212 explains how to check all Apple Pay charges from the web with any device, as well as specific instructions from an Apple device. No charge appears there.
5. Wrong terminology. Apple changed the branding on usernames. It used to be "Apple ID," but it changed to "Apple Account" in June 2024.

How do you recognize scams?

Comments

[conuly]

There's also the weird capital C in "Call Support" - but it's after a comma, so should be lowercase. Which any ordinary person could get wrong, but I expect Apple does basic spellcheck.

[jesse_the_k]

Good catch. Yep, Apple always spellchecks--I think that Jobs' obsession with type spilled over into almost-readable prose.

[sheafrotherdon]

I don't get a lot of text scams - although the EZ pay toll one is making the rounds - but I do get email scams. The latter are almost always for a Geek Squad payment. It's always about money.

[jesse_the_k]

It's a tried & true one I see weekly.

[replyhazy]

Weirdly, 99% of the time I get scam emails on my work phone, not my personal phone. My work phone is an iPhone, while my own phone is Android. But almost nobody texts me on my work phone; we use Teams instead. So almost ALL the texts on there are scams!

1. Unpaid tolls in Massachusetts. Fail: I've never driven there.
2. Unpaid tolls in Wisconsin. Fail: there are none.
3. US Post: you have a USPS parcel being cleared due to the detection of an invalid zip code. Confirm your zip at this link within 24 hours. Fail: HOW WOULD THEY HAVE MY PHONE NUMBER.
4. Is this Amy? This is Ava. Fail: whoever you are, go away.
5. Good afternoon, I am a recruiter for the United States Navy... Fail: OH COME ON.

[jesse_the_k]

Indeed, number 5 just makes me shake my head. How? Why?

[china_shop]

I just try to stop and think before I click on anything or respond to unsolicited texts. I nearly slipped up once, and that was enough to shock me into being careful. (We have spam filtering for email; why is there not spam filtering for texts??)

[jesse_the_k]

Some cellular providers do offer spam filtering for texts.

And since it's the US, we have companies who sell spam filtering as a monthly service. The leader has the lively name NoMoRobo for US$5/month.

There's a wee bit of government support, where my favorite advice is Do not respond to any questions, especially those that can be answered with "Yes."

[china_shop]

I'm not sure text spam filtering is available in Aotearoa NZ. I should look into that! (Not that I have too much trouble with it, so maybe it's already on by default...?)

[yourlibrarian]

Funny I should see this now as I just posted about an email scam I dealt with today.

Phase of the moon?

[jesse_the_k]

Glad you twigged to the scam, congrats on well-tuned instincts.

[lunabee34]

I look for a lot of the stuff you've listed here plus a lot of the time the scam email or text is just implausible. SS is never going to contact you that way. My dept chair is never going to ask me for money. LOL

[jesse_the_k]

My dept chair is never going to ask me for money.

Oh wow that's the most unlikely one I've ever heard. (Well, the ones that assume I have children are also outré)

[clevermanka]

I just never respond directly to any alert message, whether it's text, voice mail, or email. If the message seems reasonably legit, I'll call the number for the institution that I have either saved in my phone or on the back of the card, etc. Only once has it been an actual alert.

Excellent instincts

[jesse_the_k]

...and this policy saves a lot of time

I'm curious if the actual alert came through a channel they'd used before?

Re: Excellent instincts

[clevermanka]

It was an email, and yes my bank often sends email announcements. I've never had a text alert be legit.

[susanreads]

I had a scam phone call the other day (landline, it's my only phone), which listed a couple of supposed payments on my card, and then "press 1 to accept them, 2 to speak to our security team", and I spent some time wondering _how_ it was a scam. I concluded that you're meant to press 2 and then the so-called security team will ask you for all the info they need to break into your account. Anyway, it said "bank", not even "your bank" let alone a specific bank; didn't specify which card (they always say "your card ending in" and give the last 4 numbers); if it was for real, it should have been an email; they gave this amount/payee list without asking _first_ for security info.

Appropriate icon is appropriate

[jesse_the_k]

...yeah, it's the talking where folks get hooked.

I've been disappointed by the "Suspicious activity on your account" phone calls from my credit union's VISA service. The credit card provider works with scores of different financial institutions, so their identity is simply "Credit Card Services." I don't think a more generic name is possible. Practically, any place where I've used the credit card will have the last four digits and my legal name.

Re: Appropriate icon is appropriate

[j00j]

Yeah, the legitimate bank ones don't seem to know how to not look scammy. I always log into my bank app or call to see what's going on there.

[seascribble]

It pinged the spideysenses for sure, but I couldn't have broken it down that well, I think. Thanks for sharing!

[jesse_the_k]

<3

[j00j]

I'm also not sure I've seen Apple include a phone number recently.

I get at least one toll scam text a week-- I don't have a car, so those are very easy to recognize.

The most realistic looking ones I get are password change or similar phishing simulations from our security team at work, making sure we're paying attention. My favorite was the laptop replacement one. The new laptop is a lie!

I feel sorry for the folks who work for somebody who might send them an email or text telling them to go buy a bunch of gift cards... awkward.

I want to say that I love your security team

[jesse_the_k]

pen testing your division, although there are probably some days when you want to throttle them instead.

The toll scams seem to be the most ubiquitous in the U.S.

Re: I want to say that I love your security team

[j00j]

Oh at this point the phishing simulations are just a routine part of work life, though I have to say one of the few amusements of my long gone cube farm days was being able to just yell “nice try” over the wall at the security team.

[dolorosa_12]

In addition to all the things you've mentioned here, scams also rely on a hightened sense of urgency and anxiety ('you owe money and you have to pay it now!' 'we will lock your account if you don't verify it right now!' etc), so whenever I get an email or text that evokes those kinds of stressful feelings, I know to stop, pause, and read carefully before clicking on any links in a panic.

[jesse_the_k]

That's an excellent point: even the most frenzied marketers don't use panic as a sales tool.

(Well, right now every time I turn on my PBS/NPR station, there's a super-serious contact your representatives now to save public media. It's as close to panic as those folks get.)