CONSUMER ALERT: Illegal Robotexts Surpass Robocalls as Most Prevalent Form of Scam Messaging in U.S.

I’m Attorney General Ashley Moody with a warning about a growing threat.

We are all familiar with robocalls and how they are often connected to scam offers or organizations trying to steal personal information.

As concerning as these automated calls can be, they are now being outpaced by automated text messages—known as robotexts.

Experts project that by the end of the year, Floridians will have received nearly 5 billion automated text messages—many of them connected to scams.

What’s worse is, unlike robocalls, these text messages attempt to coerce targets to click on links that could contain malware—and give hackers access to personal and financial information.

To guard against these scam messages:
-Do not open texts from unknown numbers;
-Never click links in unsolicited messages; and
-Consider downloading spam blocking apps.
-You can report scam robotexts to the FTC by visiting ReportFraud.FTC.gov.

By knowing how to evade scam messages and where to report robotexts, you can help us build a Stronger, Safer Florida.