Many of us believe we’re savvy enough to avoid falling for scams, especially those annoying text scams, but it’s often easier to be duped than we might think.
One reason scams are easier to fall for is the sheer variety we have to keep track of nowadays, from ‘smishing’ to those that only require a single deceptive step.
Unfortunately, there’s yet another scam to be aware of. Experts are now cautioning about a particular text scam and how to recognize it.
Most of us have likely received numerous scam text messages over the years.
When a message is riddled with spelling errors, requests you to click on a link, or originates from an unrecognized mobile number, it’s almost certainly a scam.
However, some texts from scammers can be more challenging to distinguish, but an expert has highlighted three specific words to watch for that scammers frequently use.
Tim Bajarin, chairman of Creative Strategies, a market research firm in San Jose, California, informed Reader’s Digest that the phrase ‘would you kindly’ should trigger caution if encountered in a text.
Why is that? Bajarin notes that while ‘kindly’ is a term Brits might frequently use—along with apologizing profusely—it’s not commonly used in everyday language in the US.
According to Bajarin, this phrase is often heard in countries with British influence, in places where English is not the first language, or in regions that were once colonial territories. This could indicate that the message comes from a ‘boiler room’ scammer, who typically operates from abroad, engaging in high-pressure sales scamming tactics.
He further mentioned, “If you see this word or phrase, it’s a red flag, similar to poor spelling or grammar.”
So, what should you do if you get one of these messages?
Doug Shade, a former fraud investigator and special assistant to the attorney general’s office in Washington State, and founder of Fraud Prevention Strategies, advises, “If it’s an ‘imposter’ message, like someone claiming to be from, say, Bank of America or the IRS, never click on the link or attachment.”
“If you’re uncertain about its safety, independently log into your account with your own credentials—not those sent to you—to verify if the institution was genuinely trying to reach you.”
Stay vigilant out there.