The new scam is aimed at iPhone users with fake traffic fines

iPhone users receive shots with fraudulent texts

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, but all messages are examples of the textbook of phishing fraud.These messages are not limited to Tennessee. Such fraudulent texts were registered in Texas, Virginia and Pennsylvania using slightly different formulation names and fake agencies. In each case, the fraudster pretends to be a state body, threatens legal consequences and includes fraudulent payment communications.

The formulation version means that this is a nationwide campaign that adapts so that the message sounds local and convincing.

how fraud works

the message of the Administrative Code of the Northern Tennesses “and imitates the official language to the official language to be imitated seem legal. But there are clear red flags.

The main thing is that the link “TN.GOV-HJPP.Life/Pay” is a fake domain not related to any official public service. And the message comes from a foreign phone number, starting from the country's code +63, which corresponds to the Philippines.

This specific fraud style follows by a national way. According to Appleinsider in March, highway fraud and tickets are increasing throughout the country. Criminals use more than 60,000 registered fake domains to force users to refuse information about the credit card.

Tennessee drivers and iPhone users in the USA are faced with a new text wave of fraud

FBI received more than 2000 months associated with these false unpaid messages. He offers federal warnings to avoid clicking any links in such texts.

Fraudsters intentionally hold the alleged “good” low, usually only a few dollars to facilitate the fee than to check. But the goal is to steal information about payments and re -use it later for more serious fraud.

Why fraud spreads

These texts are cheap and easy to send on the scale. Criminal groups, which are believed to include networks from China, use inexpensive platforms of mass text text messages and volumetric purchases of the phone number for explosion of millions of devices.

The return of investments can be significant, even if a small percentage of recipients answers.

Apple introduced guarantees such as removing clickable links in messages from unknown senders. But many fraud now instruct users “reply y” and open a message that allows users to click on the link.

Even experienced users can fall in love with the trick. Sometimes fraud time often corresponds to recent travel, which adds a false sense of credibility.

How to determine and respond to fraudulent texts

If you receive Compliance that you are apparently what is most important to you. Do not press links and do not answer the text, even with something as simple as “y”.

This type of answer can confirm that your number is active and open the door for further aiming. Instead, block the sender and report the message. Apple iPhone users can click a “garbage report” directly in the “message” application to help mark fraud.

If you are not sure if the notification is legal, go directly to official sources, such as TN.GOV, and not trust any link in the message. The FBI also encourages anyone who receives the text of fraud to file a complaint to the center of complaints on the Internet on IC3.gov.

After that you can safely delete the message.

Fraudulent texts often have certain characteristics. Many are issued non -existent agencies, such as the so -called “vehicle department”, and use domain names that seem official, but include suspicious additions.

These suspicious components can be unfamiliar suffixes, such as “.life” or sorry versions of real government URLs. Other red flags include messages from foreign numbers, vague legal threats or requirements for immediate payment in order to avoid a license suspension or damage to a credit rating.

These fraud rely on urgency to create a panic, but they fall apart under close attention. Having spent a moment to check, before clicking, it can help you avoid the transfer of personal information to criminals.