BOSTON — The Boston Police Department issued a public warning Jan. 15 regarding a rise in text message scams affecting the region.
Scammers are sending fraudulent texts that appear to be legitimate job offers, missed package delivery notifications, or banking fraud alerts.
These messages are designed to deceive recipients into clicking on malicious links, which can then be used to steal personal and financial information.
Police identified five common types of scams targeting residents.
Unpaid tolls and parking ticket scams involve messages warning about fake unpaid tolls or parking tickets with links to pay.
MassDOT reports EZDriveMA will never request payment by text.
Fake package delivery scams feature scammers impersonating carriers including USPS, FedEx, DHL or Amazon who send fake delivery issue messages.
Bogus job opportunity scams involve unsolicited full or part-time job offers, with scammers claiming to be recruiters for real or fake companies.
Wrong number message scams feature seemingly misdirected messages hoping victims will engage in conversation, often evolving into romance or cryptocurrency investment scams.
Fake fraud alert scams warn about suspicious activity on bank accounts or credit card use.
Police advise residents not to click on embedded links or respond to unexpected or unverified text messages.
Residents should not provide personal or banking information and should use spam filters and block messages from unknown senders.
Police recommend forwarding suspected scam messages to 7726 (SPAM) to help wireless providers spot and block similar messages.
Victims are encouraged to file a police report with their local area station and can file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/.
