Good Lifestyle

Our phones areflooded Every day, whether it is a member of the family who registers, a friend who transmits a funny video or a politician asking for our vote. We may sometimes be bored by the volume of messages that accumulates in our reception box, but we do not often reflect on the texts we receive. It turns out that you should pay particular attention to the origin of your messages. Some texts, in fact, force you to take immediate measures. Read more to find out what figures you should block on your phone.

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Schools used to mainly target people using automated messages via robocals. But over the years, crooks have learned to develop their methods as well as technological progress. Robokiller, an application designed to fight against these types of scams, published his2022 telephone scam report in the middle of the year On September 8, detailing a major increasing concern: scam texts. According to the report, the transition from calls to SMS is largely an answer to a newly implemented initiative of the Federal Commission Commission (FCC).

In June 2021, the FCC introduced its revisited secure telephone identity (STIR) and the management of the signing of the information affirmed using Tokens (shaken). Known as theFrame of stirring / shaken, this initiative allows more precise authentication and verification of the appellant's identification information. "This technology is essential for the protection of the American scams using usurped robocalles, because it erodes the capacity of the appellants to illegally usurp a calling identifier, which the crooks use to encourage Americans to answer their phone when they do not should not, "said the FCC.

Since June 30, 2022, all telephone operators have been required to implement this initiative or an equivalent Robocall attenuation plan (RMP) to combat spam calls that use the identification the identification Identification of the caller, according to Robokiller. This pushed the crooks to "redirect their concentration and zero in" on the targeting of Americans through scam text messages, which is a "tactic that faces fewer roadblocks and a better commitment rate" , explains Robokiller.

According to the Robokiller report, the Americans received more than 66 billion text messages from Spam, also known as Robotexts, between January and June 2022. The company's sister application, Textkiller, planned that At the end of this year, the number of scam texts received by the Americans will exceed $ 147 billion, an increase of 68% compared to the tip of almost 88 billion affected in 2021.

"Robotexts are more and more out of control," said Robokiller's report. "If 2021 was the year of Robotext, we will need a new nickname for 2022 - a year well on the way to the infamy SMS. At this rate, the records will not break, they will break."

And although you can assume that you are smart enough not to fall for a scam text, these dangerous robotexts have become expensive for the victims, according to the Robokiller report. Textkiller estimated that between January and June this year, the Americans lost around $ 9.7 billion to defraud text messages. At the end of 2022, it is expected that a total of $ 28 billion could be stolen by crooks through these scams, which would represent an increase of 179% compared to what was lost in 2021.

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While the scam texts are of all shapes and sizes, there are common themes that could increase red flags. According to Robokiller reports, "crooks are known to follow consumer behavior trends so that they can reach people more easily". This is why during the summer months, the scams by travel text are generally more widespread. Robokiller reported that in June 2022, travel scams reached 150 million texts.

But as the months of fall and winter take place, you will have to be looking for another type of diagram. "On the other hand, delivery scams tend to hover during the holidays when everyone is shopping," said the company's report. In 2021, delivery scams increased from 28% from November to December, by Robokiller.

According to consumption, crooks also tend to use well -known namesWhen sending SMS, like Amazon, Target, Apple or even the American postal service (USPS). This is done by crooks "in the hope that consumers will respond to the sight of a recognizable company," said consumption.

This widespread problem may seem overwhelming, but most experts recommend that phone users begin to block the numbers they do not know, especially if they send messages similar to common scam texts. "The blocking of unknown numbers is beneficial and is a guaranteed way that foreigners cannot contact you," explains consumption cases. "Or, modify a parameter on your phone that filters unknown shippers, which prohibits unknown numbers from contacting you."

IPhone and AndroidGive users the option To prevent specific numbers from contacting you via the settings of a text message they have sent you, according toThe New York Times. The newspaper also explains that iPhone users can "filter unknown shippers" for all text messages, which will place unknown numbers and not in their contacts in a separate messages folder. Android users can use their spam message settings to activate the "Block unknown shippers" option.

"Several mobile service providers allow you toblock the sender By transmitting unwanted texts to 7726 (or "spam"), "also says the FCC.