General Discussion

Cha

(321,820 posts)

7. Oh wow, that poor Pilot guy!

Sat Jul 11, 2026, 01:47 PM

23 hrs ago

I always used Google to check if those official-looking texts from ATT and a lot of the other companies were real, and they always said No.

Now I just Report and Delete them So many scam artists out there.

I can see why he thought it was real, though. TY for this Pilot's harrowing cautionary tale, erronis. It's even more harrowing at the link

Sigh.. All that technology was making me dizzy. I kept hoping somehow the Police or FBI could catch the thief!

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Felicita calimary erronis

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Highlight:

How a Stranger Used One Text Message to Steal My Entire Digital Life -- Time [View all] erronis Yesterday OP

Wow, that is scary hauckeye Yesterday #1

I find people are more vulnerable when they are scammed on mobile devices. LeftInTX Yesterday #2

well, that was horrifying UpInArms Yesterday #3

"Windows 7"??? PatSeg 23 hrs ago #10

windows 7-11. LOL reACTIONary 23 hrs ago #16

I still have a Windows 7 computer also FoxNewsSucks 22 hrs ago #22

Whoa, I didn't know you could still get updates PatSeg 18 hrs ago #41

This scam isn't dependent on the operating system. Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, whatever. erronis 21 hrs ago #29

This is the key: Never take an inbound call from a financial company. Ms. Toad Yesterday #4

So if you are traveling and spend a decent amount of $ at a city far from where you are 99% of the time AZJonnie Yesterday #6

My Credit Union asks me to call them directly whenever I get a fraud alert. paleotn 23 hrs ago #11

Good advice Randomthought 23 hrs ago #14

Right. And don't click on any links in the text message (or emails!) erronis 21 hrs ago #31

Yes, I would (and have repeatedly refused). Ms. Toad 23 hrs ago #17

I'm not quite sure I follow the logic on this piece AZJonnie 22 hrs ago #25

And how do you know they did not call the 5, be 10, ?? other phones that were in the area Ms. Toad 18 hrs ago #42

How did they fake the credit card terminal coming back and saying "declined"? AZJonnie 9 hrs ago #44

The store may be in on it. Ms. Toad 5 hrs ago #45

No, because only if you respond to a text in the scenario I described with a 'no' I didn't make the charge AZJonnie 27 min ago #46

Did you read the article? BWdem4life 22 hrs ago #20

They've got the con down pat. Progressive dog Yesterday #5

Oh wow, that poor Pilot guy! Cha 23 hrs ago #7

"To catch a thief" - Hitchcock. We don't live in that world any more. There are thousands of thieves erronis 21 hrs ago #32

I have an Apple ID Bev54 23 hrs ago #8

My daughter and I were talking about our smartphones PatSeg 23 hrs ago #9

I never reply to text of that ilk. BeneteauBum 23 hrs ago #12

Good Info, thanks for posting BunnyMcGee 23 hrs ago #13

Kick dalton99a 23 hrs ago #15

This is why I love my old flip-phone JoseBalow 23 hrs ago #18

Thanks for the head's up xuplate 22 hrs ago #19

This exploit was from 4 years ago. Sector 001 22 hrs ago #21

As if in a nuclear event access to Apple products is essential. marble falls 21 hrs ago #30

I, too, have been getting suspicous calls and texts. Dem_in_Nebr. 22 hrs ago #23

I had an episode not this serious but enough for me three years ago. I dealt with it and even hlthe2b 22 hrs ago #24

I recommend running a VPN on your phone for all WiFi connections - even on a protected network. erronis 21 hrs ago #33

Yes... I have preached that for the past 18 months... Not all listen, however... hlthe2b 19 hrs ago #38

Great info in this thread, thanks erronis and replies.. Permanut 21 hrs ago #26

Just had a discussion with my kids about this NeoTrajan 21 hrs ago #27

Excellent ideas. Thank you. erronis 20 hrs ago #34

That's basically what I told my husband Tree Lady 19 hrs ago #40

Trust no one whose throat you cannot get your hands around. marble falls 21 hrs ago #28

Things I never do in this age of thievery. GoodRaisin 20 hrs ago #35

I wish I knew what was meant by this part of the article AZJonnie 20 hrs ago #36

That mystified me also, but you worded it well. It does seem something is missing. erronis 19 hrs ago #37

I think what they're referring to (and like you, I struggled getting through the article) Abolishinist 18 hrs ago #43

This is exactly what happened to us in Oct 2025. LtTx 19 hrs ago #39