scam text from number I don't know: no heading - just a file to download

Brendan Burgess

Brendan Burgess

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I got a text today from

0872254705 I don't recognize this number

There was no subject which is odd. The phone automatically takes the first few words of the message as the subject.

There was no message other than

"Message size: 216kb
Expires: 12/08 12 Jan"

and then a button "download"

I presumed that this is not something beneficial, so I deleted it.
 
Indeed, it could well have been a virus to take over your phone so it would dial expensive numbers for the scammers benefit.
 
It would be a scam but it equally could just be someone sending you a MMS / picture message.
 
The words of a scams are often put in an image so the scanners don't spot them.
 
A scam in text can be picked up by a filter.

Eg.

Hey Brendan , I Barrister Smith and I have $5m USD (US Dollars) in a bank account in Nigeria for you.


But if you put the same words in an image they won't :

Eg.

text2image_X69984_20140105_185042.jpg
 
I see.

While I have anti-virus software on my pc and laptop, do I have protection against this stuff on my phone?

Brendan
 
Wouldn't be too conconerned about getting a virus , but won't hurt to get a free ant-virus installed.
 
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