FILE - A woman holds an iPhone on Dec. 8, 2021, in Paris, France. (Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images) Scam robotext messages have surged in recent months with the swindlers seeking money, personal information, or simply to confirm that a number is active for use in a future scam.
Similar to robocalls, robotexts can be "spoofed" to hide the originating number and make it appear that the text is coming from a number the recipient is more likely to trust, including a local number or impersonating a government agency like the IRS.The Federal Communications Commission issued an advisory last month about "substantial increases" in scam robotext complaints.
The agency said this, along with reports by non-governmental robocall and robotext blocking services, has made it clear "that text messages are increasingly being used by scammers to target American consumers."Those who send scam text messages are looking for the recipient to engage with them, employing fear and anxiety to get a response, according to the agency.
Texts can include false-but-believable claims about unpaid bills, issues about package delivery, bank account problems, or even law enforcement actions against the victim, the FCC said.