Crime reporter reveals the scam text messages that should always be ignored

A crime reporter has revealed why you should never reply to text messages from numbers you don’t know by writing that they have the wrong number – and there’s a big reason for that.

The crucial information was shared on TikTok in recent months by Lori Fullbrighta crime reporter for Tulsa, Oklahoma’s News at 6.

Fullbright has worked as the station’s crime reporter for 31 years, anchoring the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. news every night with Craig Day, and often taking to TikTok to share PSAs about ongoing crimes and scams.

This video was no different as she explained to her viewers why they should never respond to unknown numbers with a message.

“I see a lot of these scam messages really getting to people, so one of the new things they do is make it seem like they know you,” Fullbright began.

Fullbright has worked as the station’s crime reporter for 31 years, anchoring the 5, 6 and 10 p.m. news every night with Craig Day

She explained that some scammers have strayed from posing as companies like Amazon, UPS and various banks, and instead pretend to be real people.

“They say, ‘Hey, how are you today?’ or “Hey Susie, I can’t make it at 2 o’clock on Thursday, let’s reschedule,” Fullbright explained.

‘And because we’re nice and friendly people, we’ll text back and say, “Oh, you have the wrong number,” which seems like a really sweet thing to do, but just don’t do that. she continued.

She explained that there are a few reasons for this. The first is that these people are ultimately just scammers.

“They’re trying to confirm, first of all, that it’s a real number, and not a robot, which you’ve already confirmed is a real person,” she said.

The crime reporter said she often sees people text back after saying it’s the wrong number, with these scammers introducing themselves or trying to get the innocent person to answer.

“It always leads to one of two things: they want to steal your information or they want to steal your money,” Fullbright revealed.

Often they will do this by telling you that they have a great way for you to invest in Crypto or Bitcoin, or sometimes they will even try to convince you with romance or outright asking for money.

She explained that some scammers have strayed from posing as companies like Amazon, UPS and various banks, and instead pretend to be real people you may know.

“They’re trying to first confirm that it’s a real number, and not a robot, which you’ve already confirmed is a real person,” Fullbright said.

“Somehow they’ll say they need your information, your passwords, your account information, or they need money,” the reporter explained to viewers.

“And often it’s a Crypto investment scam,” she added.

What does Fullbright recommend doing?

She advised that the next time you receive one of these scam text messages, you should “resist the urge to be nice” and text them back.

‘You can just delete it and move on with your life. I promise you it’s a scam, and you can also report a scam on your phone if you want to delete it and report it on your phone,” Fullbright shared.

The crime reporter also warned against clicking on a link, QR code or attachment that comes with the text or email from someone you don’t know.

“It’s hard because we are polite and nice, but in this case, stop being polite, don’t answer this one, don’t respond to this one because they are scammers,” she said.

“And once they get you, they’ll keep working on you, but even now that they’ve confirmed that your number is real, other scammers will target you too and that’s a tall order,” Fullbright concluded. .

In the comments section of her video, many shared their own advice on what they do when they receive these scam text messages.

‘I mess with them by pretending to fall for their trick and call them out at the last minute. I enjoy wasting their time and then pissing them off hahaha,” one person wrote.

Another agreed: ‘I end up insulting them a lot and they tell me I’m mean to them and I should stop.’

‘I love those lyrics! I have so much fun with them…I get to act like other people every time,” someone else admitted.