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The Rising Threat of Text Scams: $470 Million Stolen in 2024

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By Tom Grant
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The Rising Threat of Text Scams: $470 Million Stolen in 2024

TL;DR

Text scams resulted in at least $470 million in losses for US citizens in 2024, with the actual amount likely higher due to underreporting. The FTC identified the top five text scams, including package delivery problems, phony job opportunities, fake fraud alerts, toll fee scams, and wrong number scams. Protective measures and reporting scams are crucial in combating this growing threat.

The Alarming Surge in Text Scams

Text scams alone cost US citizens at least $470 million in 2024, according to new data from the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This figure is likely much higher due to many scams going unreported. The FTC’s report highlights a significant increase in both the number of reported incidents and the total amount of damage, indicating that many incidents remain unreported 1.

reported losses versus number of reports
Graph courtesy of FTC

Top 5 Text Scams of 2024

While scams can reach us through various means, the FTC focused on text scams in their report. Here are the five main types:

  1. Package Delivery Problems: These scams often involve phishing attempts where the target is asked to pay a small fee for redelivery. During this process, sensitive data such as credit card details are stolen 2.

  2. Phony Job Opportunities: Scammers pose as recruiters and persuade victims to pay for supposed job requirements or to steal personal data. These often come in the form of task scams 3.

  3. Fake Fraud Alerts: These alerts appear as texts from banks or retailers about suspicious activity. Scammers pressure victims into moving money out of their accounts, claiming it will keep the funds safe, but the money goes straight to the scammers.

  4. Toll Fee Scams: Victims receive unexpected text messages linking to websites that mimic US toll authorities like E-ZPass. These texts create a sense of urgency, aiming to steal personal information and payment details 4.

  5. Wrong Number Scams: These messages seem innocent and come from unknown senders who act as if they know the recipient. The goal is to engage the target in a conversation, potentially leading to romance scams, pig butchering, or other investment scams 5 6.

Combating Text Scams Together

Malwarebytes Mobile Security offers Text Protection, a feature that alerts users about potentially malicious or scam text messages. This feature analyzes incoming messages from unknown senders, checking for signs of scams, phishing links, or other malicious content.

For iOS Users

To enable Text Message Filtering on iOS devices:

  1. Go to the iOS Settings app.
  2. Enable it under Messages > Unknown & Spam.

For Android Users

  1. On the Mobile Security dashboard, toggle on Text Protection.
  2. Tap Go to settings to grant Malwarebytes permission to alert over other apps.
  3. Tap Give permissions, then tap Allow to let the app scan text messages.
  4. Once both permissions are granted, the Text Protection feature is active.

Reporting scams is crucial. US citizens can report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and forward spam messages to 7726 to help wireless providers spot and block similar messages.

We don’t just report on phone security—we provide it.

Cybersecurity risks should never spread beyond a headline. Keep threats off your mobile devices by downloading Malwarebytes for iOS and Malwarebytes for Android today.

For more details, visit the full article: source

Conclusion

Text scams are a growing threat, costing US citizens hundreds of millions of dollars. By understanding the top scams and utilizing protective measures like Malwarebytes Mobile Security, individuals can better safeguard their personal information and finances. Reporting these scams is essential in the ongoing battle against cybercrime.

References

  1. (2025, April 1). Top text scams 2024. Federal Trade Commission. Retrieved 2025-04-18. ↩︎

  2. (2022, April 1). USPS ‘Your package could not be delivered’ text is a smishing scam. Malwarebytes. Retrieved 2025-04-18. ↩︎

  3. (2024, December 1). Task scams surge by 400%—but what are they?. Malwarebytes. Retrieved 2025-04-18. ↩︎

  4. (2024, August 1). SMS scammers use toll fees as a lure. Malwarebytes. Retrieved 2025-04-18. ↩︎

  5. (2024, September 1). Romance scams costlier than ever: 10% of victims lose $10,000 or more. Malwarebytes. Retrieved 2025-04-18. ↩︎

  6. (2024, March 1). Pig butchering scams: How they work and how to avoid them. Malwarebytes. Retrieved 2025-04-18. ↩︎

Cybersecurity & Data Protection, Scam Protection
cybersecurity text scams ftc
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