Finger at "SCAM ALERT" On Keyboard Button
June 12, 2023 – Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul recently issued a list of tips to help residents protect themselves against scammers, who use unsolicited emails and text messages to trick consumers into sharing personal and financial information.
“It is important to know government agencies will not request sensitive personal information via an email or text message,” Raoul said. “Even if a phone number appears to be local or an email address seems familiar, do not respond.”
Unexpected messages could be phishing or ‘smishing’ scams, according to Raoul’s office. Phishing is when scammers send a deceptive email to get sensitive information from a recipient, and ‘smishing’ is when a fraudulent text message aims to steal the same data. Both types of messages usually contain links that, when clicked, allow scammers to steal information from your phone or computer.
If you receive a message you believe is suspicious, Raoul’s office recommends contacting the business or agency it appears to originate from using contact information from its official website. If in doubt, do not click any links and delete the message(s) immediately.
The office also shared these tips to help consumers protect themselves from scammers:
- Do not share your phone number, Social Security number, bank routing numbers, or other personally-identifiable financial information unless you know who you are providing it and why.
- Beware of suspicious contacts. Government agencies will not call, email or text to ask for money or personal information.
- Do not act immediately. Some scammers attempt to create a false sense of urgency by implying an immediate response is required or that there is a limited time to respond. Take time to verify the sender’s identity and ask why the sender is requesting personal information.
- Never open a link or an attachment from unsolicited, suspicious or unexpected text or email messages. Scammers can use a variety of tactics to hack email or social media accounts once you click a link or open an attachment, including downloading malicious software onto your device.
- Do not respond to suspicious text messages, even to say “STOP.” This could verify a phone number is active and willing to open such messages, which may lead to more unsolicited text messages.
Raoul’s office encourages consumers to report any messages they deem suspicious by contacting Federal Communications Commission online or via phone at 888-225-5322. You can also report smishing texts to your cellphone carrier by copying the original text and forwarding it to 7726 (SPAM), free of charge. Promptly block the senders and delete all messages after reporting.
If you have already clicked on a suspicious link, Raoul’s office recommends signing up for free bank or credit card transaction alerts, placing a fraud alert with one of the three credit reporting agencies or placing a freeze on credit reports. Consumers should also make sure they are using the most updated version of their phone’s operating system or computer’s antivirus software.
