Nicosia, Cyprus. Replying to a fraudulent text message can confirm that a telephone number is active and monitored, potentially exposing the recipient to more convincing scams.
In Cyprus, scam messages increasingly imitate unpaid fines, missed deliveries and expiring loyalty points.
How replies can help scammers
Scammers may not personally read an initial response. However, even a short reply can confirm that a number exists, is monitored and belongs to someone willing to engage with an unfamiliar sender.
The US Federal Trade Commission has warned that replying to scammers can result in more fraudulent calls and texts, as the response indicates that a working number has been reached.
Smishing messages
This form of fraud is known as smishing, combining SMS messaging with phishing. It commonly begins with a message intended to disrupt an ordinary day.
Typical claims include that a parcel cannot be delivered, a card has been suspended, a payment requires approval or a toll is overdue. Other messages may refer to an unfamiliar person, such as someone asking whether a dinner meeting is still planned.
The message does not always need to appear convincing. It may be designed to be irritating, alarming or unusual enough to prompt a response.
Wrong-number scams
“Wrong number” messages can be effective because replying may seem harmless or polite. After the recipient says that the sender has made a mistake, the sender may apologise and continue the conversation.
They may then ask where the recipient lives, what they do or whether they have considered investing in cryptocurrency.
