The text message is unsolicited (scammers will always contact you out of the blue). The text sender has a long phone number (10 or 11 digits). The phone number is “spoofed” (i.e., it looks like it's coming from someone you know or trust). The text includes a link that is most likely shortened or scrambled.
Some examples of spam text messages using the IRS modus are: The IRS is trying to reach you regarding a tax refund. Please call us at (phone number) to claim it. Hurry – your IRS tax refund is ready to be accepted!
Clicking a phishing link in a spam text message can open your phone to security threats. If you don't enter any information or accept any downloads, your data may be safe. On the other hand, it's possible that suspicious files and malware were downloaded to your device through that malicious link.
If you receive a text message from someone you know that starts off with strange characters or even odd shapes (squares, for example), it is most likely a text from a hacker who is hoping you'll open it and read the message. If you open the message, you will download spyware or malware on your phone.
Can someone steal your information through a text? No—unless you hit a link included in the text. To avoid getting hacked, do not hit any link that comes with a text or email—unless you are absolutely sure of the sender's identity.
Why am I getting spam text messages? Spam texts are both intrusive and pose a security threat. If you are getting spam texts, it's more than likely that whoever is sending you a spam text message is trying to get access to your personal information—bank accounts, passwords, social security number, online IDs and more.
These texts can expose you to identity theft and increase the risk of you accidentally downloading malware onto your phone. They can also lead to unwanted charges on your phone bill if your wireless carrier charges you for receiving a text message.
Don't respond directly to a spam text
Directly replying to a spam text message lets a spammer know that your number is genuine. What happens next They can sell your phone number to other spammers who might bombard you with false promises of free gifts and product offers.
By accidentally tapping the “Report Junk” option once, you won't be damaging the sender's ability to contact others. Both Apple and carriers are experts at distinguishing spam numbers.
Tips: The contact is reported as spam and the message is sent to your “Spam & blocked” folder. You can report spam but don't have to block the contact.
Yes, spam texts can infect your iPhone if you click on the links contained in the texts. It's a good idea to run an antivirus scan on your device after clicking on any links in spam texts. If you only received or read the text, it probably hasn't infected your device.
If you receive any unwanted email, the best approach in almost every case is to delete it immediately. It is often clear from the Subject line that a message is junk, so you may not even need to open the message to read it.
This can be from the sale of personal data by companies who you've given your number; it can be from data leaks; and also can just come from spammers randomly generating numbers. It goes without saying that you should never tap on any links in suspect messages or provide any data those messages request.
“A good general rule of thumb for a text from someone you don't know is to just ignore it or delete it,” says Stephen Cobb, senior security researcher at ESET, a company that makes antivirus and Internet security software for businesses and individuals worldwide.
Go to Settings > Messages, scroll down to Message Filtering, then turn on Filter Unknown Senders.
It is possible for someone to find your location by texting you if they have access to your phone's location information or if you share your location with them. For example, if you receive a text message with a link to a location, clicking on the link could allow the sender to track your location.
Like phishing emails, smishing texts are social-engineering scams that aim to manipulate people into turning over sensitive data such as Social Security numbers, credit card numbers and account passwords or providing access to a business's computer system.
Yes, it's definitely possible for someone to spy on your text messages and it's certainly something you should be aware of – this is a potential way for a hacker to gain a lot of private information about you – including accessing PIN codes sent by websites used to verify your identity (such as online banking).
While just receiving a spam text is an annoyance, replying or engaging with one in any way can put you in serious danger of financial fraud, identity theft, or hacking.
Does Factory Reset Remove Viruses from Your Phone? The short answer is “yes”! By returning the phone settings to factory model, the reset option automatically deletes viruses and any infected file or program on your device. It's an extreme option and works pretty much every time—except in some very rare cases.