Don’t call a phone number that’s texted to you

Just as you shouldn’t click on a link texted to you from someone you don’t know, don’t click on or dial a phone number you receive in a text. Instead, find the official phone number for your bank by going to its website or mobile app. Initiate contact with your financial institution at its official phone number to ensure you’re talking to a legitimate representative, and verify whether there actually is an issue.  One particular kind of text scam resulted in a median loss of $3,000 in 2022, according to the FTC: a text from someone impersonating your bank, instructing you to reply with a “Yes” or “No” to confirm or deny a suspicious transaction. Once you replied, the scammer would call you under the guise of helping you. Their ultimate goal was to either fraudulently transfer money out of your account or obtain personal information such as a Social Security number.