What you need to know
- Some Verizon customers are receiving a fake payment confirmation text message from their own phone numbers.
- Customers on Visible and US Mobile have also reported receiving this message.
- Customers are reporting that the link leads to a Russian state media network, Channel One Russia.
As reported by The Verge, Verizon customers are receiving a text message from their own phone numbers. This message is made to look like a payment confirmation from the carrier and prompts the recipient to follow a link for a free prize. This is not an official communication from Verizon and customers should not follow the link in the message.
A Verizon spokesperson provided the following statement to Android Central regarding these messages.
"Verizon is aware that bad actors are sending spam text messages to some customers which appear to come from the customers' own number. Our team is actively working to block these messages, and we have engaged with U.S. law enforcement to identify and stop the source of this fraudulent activity. We continue to work on behalf of our customers to prevent spam texts and related activity."
Verizon isn't the only carrier affected with some customers on Verizon-owned carrier Visible receiving the same message. Depending on your phone, this message may look a little different as it will be from your own number rather than a separate number. Even if you've switched to another one of the best phone plans, you should be cautious of messages with links even when they look official.
According to The Verge, the link in the link leads to Channel One Russia, a Russian state media network, though Verizon said that it had no indication the activity was originating in Russia. A Verizon spokesperson told The Verge that Verizon believes the activity is being generated by external bad actors with no direct tie to the company.
If you're a Verizon customer, you can help fight against spam messages like this by forwarding Verizon's spam number 7726 from their mobile phones.
