Today I got a text message that I assumed was from my provider. It wasn’t…
The message said something like “Good news, March is paid in full. Thanks for using xxxx. To show our appreciation we are giving away a free Apple watch. Tell us how much you like xxxx. Offer is for today only.” There was a tiny url link to the survey web site that looked like my providers website. (How dumb of me) Next thing that comes up is a popup that says my browser has a serious virus with a note that warns if the browser is closed serious damage can occur to my phone. The message said to fix it “press the button below to download a clean version of the browser.” (Ehhh NOPE.) I exited the browser and restarted it. Same message… I uninstalled the browser and went to the google play store and reinstalled a new version. Works fine.
How I fell for this is beyond me. I am usually very aware of things like this and talk to people about it all the time. The first clue should have been about “paid in full”. I’m on my daughter’s plan and she pays the bill. The “free apple watch” should have set off a warning bell in my head as well as the “only today” bit (please please do it now, ehhh). I am familiar with the “don’t shut down the browser” admonition. That’s to keep you there and present you with the links to really seal your fate. Fortunately it turned out well.
Well you know what they say, there’s a sucker born every minute. And even though you were born Wayback when they were still designing a good recipe for dirt. The sucker mode finally caught up with you.
You can’t escape your destiny. But like you said, fortunately things worked out.
…. For the last several days I’ve been getting these messages on my iPhone. The message says there is possible fraudulent activity on your Bank of America accounts. Please click on this link and sign in to your primary bank account to prove that you were actually you are. Until you do this all your accounts will be locked. We suggest you do it immediately.
I would seriously hate to think that anybody short of a complete dimwit could possibly even consider falling for that. But when I called up the fraud department at the bank they told me that people file for that all day long.
What happened to the good old days when they had firing squads?
Regardless, your story had a good ending. I like good endings. I also think it would be cool if they caught some of these clowns about the same time they reinstate firing squads. Take some nice clear videos of some of these hackers getting Erased from the neck up and putting the videos on YouTube so people can see what happens when you do bad things. I bet the hacking trend would spiral down dramatically with a quickness.
I wouldnt be so sure… malware on a phone is installed by the link, just because it doesnt say doesnt mean its not there. If you do any kind of important private things on your phone like banking etc i would make sure your phone is clean first… if you dont know what your doing i would advise taking it to a specialist to be 100% sure.
I’ve received two or three of us PER DAY over the last week. So aggravating. I worry about people like my 91-year-old mother who might click on that link without giving it the slightest thought. Bastards.
Luckily my mom ended up only buying someone a new iPhone a few years back.
When she told me about the weird texts from her cell provider. I told her to hang up with me and call the customer service number from her billing statement to verify her account was secured. That’s when she found out the people behind it paid her current bill cycle in full from her checking acct, then ordered a new iPhone.
I think the problem with our parents and grandparents generation is they are too polite and can’t enjoy ghosting someone who they don’t recognize on their caller ID
