Fighting Fraud
By Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland
A text message scam is circulating, appearing so innocent that many are tempted to respond. Better Business Bureau® (BBB®) Serving Greater Cleveland has received reports that con artists are sending fake “wrong number” texts, hoping to lure victims into a conversation before leading them into a scam.
Victims receive a message similar to: “Hey, is this John? It’s Amanda. I’m back in town if you want to meet up—are you free?”
Even if the recipient replies with a polite,“Sorry, wrong number,” the scammer ignores the correction and continues the conversation. They may send compliments, along with photos of “Amanda”— typically a scantily clad woman. As awareness of this scam grows, fraudsters will continue changing the names, backstories and images to stay ahead.
Those who engage further are eventually directed to sign up for a dating or adult website, requiring them to provide credit card information. By doing so, victims risk fraudulent charges and potential identity theft.
“Even BBB staff are receiving these messages, including me,” said Pamela Anson, President and CEO of BBB Serving Greater Cleveland.
“These texts may seem harmless, but they are designed to lure people in and exploit their curiosity. The best defense is to ignore and block these messages.”
BBB has the following tips to avoid chatbot scams:
- Ignore texts from unknown senders. If you don’t recognize the number, don’t engage. Even a brief response can make you a target for more scam attempts.
- Block and report suspicious numbers. If a message seems suspicious, block the sender
and report it to your mobile carrier or the Better Business Bureau (BBB). - Never share personal or financial information. Scammers will try to gain access to
your credit card, banking details, or other sensitive data. Never provide such information to
strangers. - If you have received a suspicious text, report it to the BBB Scam Tracker at
BBB.org/ScamTracker to help warn others.
If you’ve been the victim of a scam on social media, report it to the BBB Scam Tracker. Your
report helps us build consumer awareness and reduce the effectiveness of scammers’ favorite
tactics. Have additional questions? Reach out to your BBB at 216-241-7678 or
[email protected].
