personal finance

Text scam warning: Worrying message could cost you £20 – have you had the suspicious text?


Responding to text messages is an act which plenty of people will do almost immediately. Worryingly, fraudsters have been playing on people’s emotions by contacting them and pretending to be someone they know. Chancing that the recipient will respond, the seemingly innocent message claims that the sender is in hospital. They request that you simply drop them a text back.

“Its Emma. I tried to call you but signal bad,”(sic) this particular text message reads.

“I have been taken to hospital after having a fall this morning. If possible can you do me a quick favour and text me x.”

It appears to have been sent from an ordinary mobile number, the Liverpool Echo reports.

The victim who received the message said her first instinct was to reply, asking for clarification about who “Emma” was.

But, she then twigged that all the people she knew wouldn’t text in a crisis.

The victim then took to Google, and realised it was a scam.

The quick search saw them discover texting back would’ve cost them £20.

Another person has reported a variation of the text also sent from someone who says they’re called Emma.

North Wales Live said a spokesperson for Action Fraud said: “Be cautious about answering calls and text messages from unsolicited numbers you don’t recognise, especially if they start 084, 087, 080 or 090.

“Communications with these numbers may be charged at premium rates. If someone really needs to get in touch with you, they’ll leave a voicemail or contact you by other means.

“If you don’t require the ability to contact premium rate numbers, or you want to ensure you don’t accidentally contact numbers such as these, speak with your mobile provider about barring calls and text messages to them.”

From text messages to one’s own door-step, there are – unfortunately – a plethora of places in which scammers may operate.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) website offers guidance to members of the public on common cyber problems.

This includes what one should do if they are concerned their banking details have been stolen.

Should a person get in touch with their bank, the NCSC suggests using a phone number or email address that one has found themselves – rather than using the one provided in the email.

The website says that this is because there is a risk that this “may be false”.



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