Be Rude Washington! Here’s Why You Should Ignore ‘Unknown Texts’

This weekend, not once but twice, I got text messages from unknown numbers.

The first one was a simple "What's up?"

I was dumb and responded to it with the basic "new fone who dis?"

The reply was weird. It said that the person got my number from a friend and was interested in the "THING" I was selling.

I sell lots of things, but the fact that instead of mentioning what the particular item was, I figured it was a scam.

BUT, not wanting to be rude, I wrote back, "Sorry, it sold. Thank you for asking. Have a good day."

I blocked the number, and I'm glad I did, but I'm annoyed that I even interacted with it in the first place because I got another unknown text the next day.

My co-worker, Jack, got a different "SCAM" text this weekend.

"Hi, I sent you a message on WhatsApp but didn't get a reply from you, so I asked Selena for your number." – Selena's friend, aka UNKNOWN TEXTER.

Jack was smarter than me and didn't respond.

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WHY IS IT SMART TO IGNORE TEXT UNKNOWN TEXT MESSAGES?

A new release from the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) warns of the different ways unknown text messages can lead down the rabbit hole of scams.

The unknown texter will apologize and keep engaging in conversation with you. The idea is to gain your trust and eventually take advantage of your niceness.

They could attempt to befriend you, offer you investing advice, or offer you some other form of goods or services, hoping to con you.

The FTC warns against texting back unknown or wrong numbers because doing so confirms to them that it is a working phone number, which could lead to more calls and texts from scammers.

WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH AN UNWANTED, UNKNOWN TEXT MESSAGE?

The main thing is to not reply to it. You can use your phone's "Report junk" option or forward the text to 7726 (SPAM).

NEVER click any links that are sent to you from an unknown texter. This is a fast track for identity theft and malware.

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When it comes to money, if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Never trust anyone who says they know how you can make some easy money fast.

"Every investment has risks. Only scammers guarantee you'll make lots of money in a short time with zero risk" – FTC.

If you have been scammed like this, the FTC would like to know. Report it here.

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