Scams by text

Buddy will NEVER urgently ask you for cash or gift cards!

If you received a text message (like the ones pictured below) purporting to be from Buddy that requests cash or gift cards, DO NOT respond to it. It is a scam. If you did not see the email we sent out yesterday about SMISHING - a form of phising that uses cell phone numbers in stead of email address. Please click the button below to learn more about how to protect yourself from this scam.

Smishing is a form of phishing that uses mobile phones as the attack platform. The scammer executes the attack with an intent to gather personal information and/or credit card numbers. This form of attack has become increasingly popular due to the fact that people are more likely to trust a message that comes in through a messaging app on their phone than from a message delivered via email.

A reputable tech website has published this advice about smishing:

How to stop text scams or “smishing” messages

Of course, you should avoid replying at all costs, but you should also: 

• Slow down: Acting too quickly when you receive these messages is a mistake. The scammers want you to feel confused and rushed. Slow down and don’t fall into the trap of providing an immediate response.

• Don’t click: Never ever (ever) click on a link in a message if you suspect it’s spam.

• Delete the message: Don’t risk accidentally replying to or saving the content on your mobile device. If you are reporting the message, feel free to take a screenshot for posterity, then delete the text.

Report the spam: You can report any suspected spam text messages directly to your carrier or to the FTC through their complaint assistant.

For more information: click here for the FCC's website information on scams.