WARNING! A mass SMS text message scam went out this afternoon that reads basically: “FRM: Account Service MSG: You are required to accept the new Terms of Service now:” and then it gives you a shortened link such as https://goo.gl/hdDpNE. The sample we received is from the phone number 1410200502, but yours may say something different.
This particular text message scam first reared its ugly head in August of 2017. While the exact one may have died out, plenty of others have arisen to take its place, including the recent Wells Fargo text message scam, and the Netflix text message scam of last year.
Back to the “Account Service” SMS scam. As it turns out, this is a phishing scam that is designed to steal your Facebook credentials. If you click the link (see below) it takes you to a (poorly made) Facebook clone page, saying that you must confirm your identity.
Whatever you do, don’t click on that link! This is the actual link to which the cloaked link goes: http://m.facebook.com———-terms-of-service-agreement-userid-58899132.inky.be/
See how they tried to mask it so that all you would see is the “m.facebook.com”, but the actualy domain is m.facebook.com———-terms-of-service-agreement-userid-58899132.inky.be?
| Read Internet Patrol Articles Right in Your Inbox as Soon as They are Published! Only $1 a Month! Imagine being able to read full articles right in your email, or on your phone, without ever having to click through to the website unless you want to! Just $1 a month and you can cancel at any time! |
| Or get notified of new Internet Patrol articles for free!
|
We at the Internet Patrol know how to research these things while defusing them, so we can show you what you would see if you did click on the link:
The text says “Dear user, Your Facebook account must be confirmed today in order to avoid disabling! This process is quick and must be done by all of our users as an extra security measure. If you fail to confirm your account today it will be limited and then disabled!”
This is designed to steal your Facebook credentials!
If you did get taken in by this and you did click the “Confirm your identity now” button, don’t feel bad, but DO CHANGE YOUR FACEBOOK PASSWORD ASAP!!
Remember, it is a rare legitimate company or service – if any – that will send you a text message with a link and a message that suggests that you urgently need to follow that link. Any time you do get a text message like this, run, do not walk, to your computer, and log in to that company’s website to confirm that everything is fine with your account there (as it almost always will be). And there will never be a situation where the need is legitimate, but it does not also appear in your account on the website, only in the text message.
No Paywall Here!
The Internet Patrol is and always has been free. We don't hide our articles behind a paywall, or restrict the number of articles you can read in a month if you don't give us money.
That said, it does cost us money to run the site, so if something you read here was helpful or useful, won't you consider donating something to help keep the Internet Patrol free?
Thank you!
| Get notified of new Internet Patrol articles!
|
Related articles:
Don’t Be Taken in by the Latest Wells Fargo Text Message Scam!
URGENT WARNING: IRS and Social Security Administration Scam Phone Calls on the Rise
WARNING: Having Email Display Sender’s Contact Image and Info Helps Scammers Get in Through the Cracks
Clicking on a Text Message Link Can Be Lethal
Warning: Beware Fake DHL Email Notice
I just copy and pasted the message and sent it back to them
I dunno, sounded like a good idea
I just received “FRM ACC Locked!” there’s a link then “MSG:### Wells-Fargo Message!” – April 2019
just got a text msg from this number claiming to be AMX customer service.
the included link was [http]americanexpresxmgfeptq[dot]scur993[dot]webcam