Another tip in a series provided by the Offices of Information Security, Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy

Sorry, Wrong Number

One of the scams we see surging in popularity is the “wrong number scam.” Don’t let it catch you.

Here’s how it works: You get a text message from a number you don’t recognize. They try asking a question or making a request to prompt you to respond.

“Hey, can you watch the dog this weekend?”

“I’m interested in taking your yoga class, can I sign up?”

Naturally, you respond by telling them they have the wrong number. Unfortunately, things don’t stop there. Playing on people’s kindness and good manners, they continue the conversation. Depending on the nature of the scam, they may go directly to talking about money, cryptocurrency, or investing. Stop. Don’t supply any personal or financial information and disconnect right away.

Another variation of this scam works more slowly. They still try and engage you in a conversation, but instead of trying to persuade you to talk about finances right away, they offer the possibility of friendship. They may share photos or confidences to make you think you are creating a relationship. These kinds of “wrong number” scams are most difficult to deal with because they give the illusion of an actual budding relationship. The warnings are the same: don’t give any personal or financial information and end the conversation right away. 

Here are some tips to help you protect yourself:

1. Don’t respond to texts from unknown numbers. 
2. If you think you are engaging with a scammer via text, you should report and block the scammer while following the instructions from your phone provider.
3. Don’t supply any personal or financial information in response to a text message. 
4. Don’t click on links in unsolicited text messages.

For additional tips, see the One Step Ahead link on the Information Security website: https://www.isc.upenn.edu/security/news-alerts#One-Step-Ahead.