Online Threat Alerts (OTA) - Alerting you to scams and frauds.

Wrong Number Text Scam Message - How to Protect Yourself
Wrong Number Text Scam Message - How to Protect Yourself

There is a new scam where scammers send a text to a random number. The scammers start by saying "Hello" or asking who is texting. They then respond by saying something like, "it's Sarah, sorry I didn’t get back to you but my assistant forgot to call you last night while I was in a meeting." They try to sound super important, busy, wealthy and so on. When you respond by letting them know they have the wrong number they keep texting back and that's how it all begins if one continues to respond. I've received MANY of these texts and they are ALL the same.

Wrong Number Text Scam Messages

Wrong Number Text Scam Message

Wrong Number Text Scam Message

How the Scam Works

  • The Bait: You receive a harmless, everyday text like "Hey, are we still on for lunch?" or "Can you step away for a second?"
  • The Trap: If you reply—even just to say "wrong number"—the scammer learns your number is active, real, and monitored by a human.
  • The Build: Instead of apologizing and stopping, the sender acts friendly, asks about your day, and tries to form a personal connection or groom you for a larger "pig-butchering" or romance scam.

How to Protect Yourself

  • Do not reply: Never text back, even to be polite or correct the mistake.
  • Block and report: Use your phone's settings to block the number and report the message as spam.
  • Delete the message: Clear the text thread so you do not accidentally click a malicious link or interact later.
  • Never share details: Do not reveal your name, location, or financial information to unexpected contacts.
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