LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – An 83-year-old Lincoln woman lost more than $14,000 in a text message scam known as “smishing,” according to Lincoln Police.
Officers took the report Monday. Investigators said the scammers sent a text claiming there was a fraudulent charge on the victim’s card and instructed her to call a phone number provided in the message. The caller then directed her to send money through a Bitcoin ATM.
While phishing scams via email are widely known, law enforcement warns that scammers can also use deceptive text messages — known as “smishing”— to target victims. The term is a combination of “SMS,” or short message service, and “phishing.”
“We want to remind the public to please be very cautious of text messages like these,” Lincoln Police said in a statement. “Never click on links, reply to text messages or call numbers you don’t recognize. Delete all suspicious texts. If you are concerned a bank account or credit card may be compromised, call the institution directly at a verified number, not one listed in a text.”
Police also encouraged families to discuss scam awareness with loved ones, especially seniors.
More information on smishing is available at the Federal Communications Commission’s website: fcc.gov/avoid-temptation-smishing-scams.
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