Anatomy of a social engineering / phishing text

[Nathan]

Just got an incoming text asking "are you going to the gym tomorrow?" A familiar question, however, it was from someone I did not have in my Contacts List.

Watch how this unfolds:



After last reply: OK, suspicions confirmed- Block & Reported

 

[robin416]

It's been a while since I got one that I responded to. Same come on, same outcome, blocked and reported. Now when I get them I just block and delete.

 

[Nathan]

I have received numerous obvious scam texts, and even voicemails, telling me that the IRS was going to send it's goons to kidnap me in the middle of the night, or that my "purchase" of Bitcoin with Paypal went though and such, but this one caught me off guard at first, seemed like an "honest" mistake .

 

[robin416]

They're not easy to spot. My area code on my phone is not the same one I live in. Twice I've gotten legit texts from that area code and let them know it was a wrong number. I don't even bother with the ones that come in now unless it's an obvious mistake.

 

[quintinmorrow]

That kind of message is sneaky because it feels so ordinary. A simple “gym tomorrow?” doesn’t set off alarms like the IRS threats do. I’ve started treating unknown numbers like cold calls — no engagement at all. If it’s real, they’ll clarify who they are. If not, silence and a block saves time and nerves.

 

[MarciKS]

LOL they are so stupid. Some of them must think we're dumber than door knobs.

 

[Lawrence00]

So you threw a way a free meal in Manhattan??? All you had to do was confirm that she was also footing the bill for the flight and the hotel.

 

[Restored]

I get those frequently. Always dodgy when they don't say who they are.
"Hey, didn't we used to work together?"
You should always assume the person on the other end doesn't know who you are if you do this.

 

[hearlady]

Aw, she sounds like wonderful gal, @Nathan !

 

[IrishEyes]

I get these group text thingies now and then, to join some group chat
no idea who they are so I just delete and block if I can (sometimes block is not an option)