A scam text message. (Supplied by Lethbridge Police Service)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge Police: Text scams making the rounds

Dec 11, 2019 | 1:01 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Police in Lethbridge are warning the public of scams being sent out over text messages.

In this scenario, Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) is reporting that the scammers are pretending to be from your bank, a cell phone carrier, or another seeming-legitimate source.

The texts people have been receiving often contain links to where the recipient can reportedly receive refunds or other benefits.

‘“Smishing” – the SMS text message equivalent of email phishing scams – is prevalent and police are aware of several residents who recently received messages that appear to be from their cell provider,” reads a media release from LPS. “The scam texts indicate the victim has overpaid their monthly cell phone bill and must click the link in the message to deposit their refund.”

If you receive a text like this, especially if it is unsolicited, LPS advises not clicking on it. Instead, they say to call the company directly and verify whatever the situation might be with them.

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Other tips from LPS include:

• Do not reply directly to any spam text message as this lets scammers know that your number is legitimate. They might try to bombard you with smishing messages
• Never give our personal information via text messages such as account details or credit card numbers. “Even if the message looks like it’s from a company you do business with, most do not request this information by text message.”
• Never click on links in your text messages. Doing so could potentially install malware that can collect information from your phone