General Discussion

BeneteauBum

(1,021 posts)

12. I never reply to text of that ilk.

Sat Jul 11, 2026, 02:14 PM

18 hrs ago

If I get a phone call, I just ask that the paperwork be sent to my PO Box. I don’t furnish any information…..my standard replies are: why do you ask and isn’t that in the file? Same with email. I have yet to received any written communication from scammers……and to date haven’t had any theft issues.

All my user names and passwords are genus/species names of my favorite fauna interspersed with notable dates……most over 30 characters long but easy to remember. Example: 19(genus name of golden goddess nudibranch)74(species name for the golden goddess)01. This is recorded as 197401goldengoddess in a notebook in case I need to a reminder. 19Hypseloldoris74edenticulata01……not an active password. Let the hackers figure that out.

Peace ☮️

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BunnyMcGee

45 replies

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Highlight:

How a Stranger Used One Text Message to Steal My Entire Digital Life -- Time [View all] erronis 20 hrs ago OP

Wow, that is scary hauckeye 20 hrs ago #1

I find people are more vulnerable when they are scammed on mobile devices. LeftInTX 20 hrs ago #2

well, that was horrifying UpInArms 20 hrs ago #3

"Windows 7"??? PatSeg 19 hrs ago #10

windows 7-11. LOL reACTIONary 18 hrs ago #16

I still have a Windows 7 computer also FoxNewsSucks 17 hrs ago #22

Whoa, I didn't know you could still get updates PatSeg 14 hrs ago #41

This scam isn't dependent on the operating system. Windows, Mac, iOS, Linux, whatever. erronis 16 hrs ago #29

This is the key: Never take an inbound call from a financial company. Ms. Toad 20 hrs ago #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 19 hrs ago #6

My Credit Union asks me to call them directly whenever I get a fraud alert. paleotn 19 hrs ago #11

Good advice Randomthought 18 hrs ago #14

Right. And don't click on any links in the text message (or emails!) erronis 16 hrs ago #31

Yes, I would (and have repeatedly refused). Ms. Toad 18 hrs ago #17

I'm not quite sure I follow the logic on this piece AZJonnie 17 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 13 hrs ago #42

How did they fake the credit card terminal coming back and saying "declined"? AZJonnie 4 hrs ago #44

The store may be in on it. Ms. Toad 52 min ago #45

Did you read the article? BWdem4life 18 hrs ago #20

They've got the con down pat. Progressive dog 19 hrs ago #5

Oh wow, that poor Pilot guy! Cha 19 hrs ago #7

"To catch a thief" - Hitchcock. We don't live in that world any more. There are thousands of thieves erronis 16 hrs ago #32

I have an Apple ID Bev54 19 hrs ago #8

My daughter and I were talking about our smartphones PatSeg 19 hrs ago #9

I never reply to text of that ilk. BeneteauBum 18 hrs ago #12

Good Info, thanks for posting BunnyMcGee 18 hrs ago #13

Kick dalton99a 18 hrs ago #15

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

Thanks for the head's up xuplate 18 hrs ago #19

This exploit was from 4 years ago. Sector 001 18 hrs ago #21

As if in a nuclear event access to Apple products is essential. marble falls 16 hrs ago #30

I, too, have been getting suspicous calls and texts. Dem_in_Nebr. 17 hrs ago #23

I had an episode not this serious but enough for me three years ago. I dealt with it and even hlthe2b 17 hrs ago #24

I recommend running a VPN on your phone for all WiFi connections - even on a protected network. erronis 16 hrs ago #33

Yes... I have preached that for the past 18 months... Not all listen, however... hlthe2b 14 hrs ago #38

Great info in this thread, thanks erronis and replies.. Permanut 16 hrs ago #26

Just had a discussion with my kids about this NeoTrajan 16 hrs ago #27

Excellent ideas. Thank you. erronis 16 hrs ago #34

That's basically what I told my husband Tree Lady 14 hrs ago #40

Trust no one whose throat you cannot get your hands around. marble falls 16 hrs ago #28

Things I never do in this age of thievery. GoodRaisin 16 hrs ago #35

I wish I knew what was meant by this part of the article AZJonnie 15 hrs ago #36

That mystified me also, but you worded it well. It does seem something is missing. erronis 15 hrs ago #37

I think what they're referring to (and like you, I struggled getting through the article) Abolishinist 13 hrs ago #43

This is exactly what happened to us in Oct 2025. LtTx 14 hrs ago #39