Something you can be sure of when it comes to scams and swindles is that the methods used to try to part you from your data, your money, or both are constantly changing—which of course makes it more difficult to spot scenarios where someone is attempting to trick you.
One simple scam that's continuing to get more common starts off with text from someone who has apparently messaged the wrong number. There's no mistake though: Your number is being deliberately targeted by a fraudster.
A wrong number scam can lead in multiple directions. The aim might be to con you out of money or to get into some of your most important digital accounts—either belonging to you or your company. Here's how to spot these scams and how to make sure you don't get taken in.
How a Wrong Number Scam Works
The US Federal Trade Commission says wrong number scams are on the rise, but they’re an old trick. Quite simply, you get a text message that appears to be for someone else. They might pretend to be confirming a delivery order or asking if you are free to work a shift tomorrow. They could even be from a family member telling you about their “new” number.
Sometimes, the message is a simple “hey” or “hello,” while in other cases it will seem to be following up on a previous conversation—something like “did you get the documents I sent over?” or “are we still OK to meet up tomorrow?” The original message will be designed to seem as innocuous as possible.
There are lots of variations, which makes them more difficult to spot. The manipulation doesn't really get started until you reply. That confirms to the scammer that the number is active and that there's another person on the line. If you do reply, expect further messages to follow, trying to establish some kind of relationship.
The follow-up messages can take many forms, just like the original text. You'll most likely get a few questions, the answers to which will be used to try to gain your trust. The trick is sometimes called pig butchering, because the intended and unfortunate victim is being “fattened up” and ready to be exploited.
Most often, once some kind of friendship or even romantic connection has been established, you'll be asked for money. Maybe your new contact is in a bit of trouble, finance-wise, and just needs a quick loan; or maybe they’ve found a fantastic investment opportunity for you, though you'll need to act very quickly to take advantage of it.
How to Spot and Respond to Wrong Number Scams
First and foremost, you need to be on the lookout for any kind of unexpected contact over a messaging app. You might think that's easy to spot, but fraudsters (and the AI they use) are very good at sounding convincing. They may even offer up photos and videos to help prove they are who they say they are.
Remember that the people you're communicating with may well have done their homework on you. They may claim to be a friend of someone you actually know, or be part of an organization you used to volunteer for, in order to seem more believable. You should definitely double-check any claims like this.
Ideally, don't respond at all, because this will mark you out for future scam attacks. If you feel like the message could be genuine—people do get numbers wrong, after all—run as many checks as you possibly can before replying. For example, if it's related to something happening at work, check around with your colleagues.
If you are taken in by the first message, the scam should get easier to spot as the exchange progresses. The bots and the people at the other end of the conversation will try to engage you in chatting, perhaps by asking questions or maybe sharing photos and videos. Some kind of attempt to grab money or data will then follow, as the FBI warns.
Whenever you realize you're being targeted by scammers, just stop replying. In the US, you can forward the messages to 7726 to report them as fraudulent. You can also block future messages from the number: In Google Messages on Android, tap the three dots (top right in the chat) then Block and report spam. In Messages on an iPhone, tap the header at the top of the chat, then Info and Block Caller.
