WARNING! 3 Text Scams That Are Showing Up Right Now in Minnesota

WARNING!  Several scam text messages are being sent in the Minnesota area.  Before you click on that link, make sure that the message does not look like the scams below.

Get our free mobile app

SEVERAL TEXT SCAMS BEING SENT RIGHT NOW IN THE MINNESOTA AREA

One thing that ticks me off is when people waste my time with scams.  Last week, my phone was blowing up with several different scams and I know, if I wasn't in the middle of seeing multiple news stories each day from our team, I'd be very tempted to click on one of the links sent to my phone too.

I don't want you to accidentally fall for one of these scams and give your hard-earned money to some criminal.  Next time you get a text that has a link, see if it matches or looks similar to the screenshots below from my phone.

SCAM #1: This is your Facebook code

- yeah, it's not, but nice try.

If you ever get a message sent to you with a link for Facebook, my advice is to never click on it.  Never.

If you ever get a text message stating that you have a Facebook code but you didn't ask for a new code or to reset your password, delete it immediately and block the individual.

SCAM #2: The USPS package arrived at the warehouse but could not be delivered due to incomplete address information.

Question everything and in this text message, there is a lot that is giving off huge red flags.

First, why in the world is USPS sending me text messages from a hotmail account?  If it was from an aol account, I would have fallen out of my chair from laughing so hard.

Second, this isn't how the USPS handles deliveries.

Third...this was almost the biggest giveaway of them all.  Safari?  Really?  You obviously don't know me at all.  My family is a Google family.

I've received this specific message several times but all from different senders and also for Amazon packages.  If you have questions or thoughts that a package may be delayed, go check orders and the sites where you order from.  Don't fill out the form at the link in your Safari browser.

SCAM #3: Special message from co-worker or boss asking for help

A few years ago, an e-mail came to my inbox at work letting employees know that a scam was circulating that stated our CEO, Bill Wilson, was asking individuals "for help".  The "help" ended up being gift cards that were then sent to him via photos or other means.  This was a scam then and this is a scam once again because I got the following text message from "my CEO" earlier this week.

I let our team know immediately that this is floating around again.  Later that day, another e-mail showed up stating that several employees and even a few family members received a similar e-mail from similar phone number numbers.

No matter the size of your workplace, if you ever get a text message from a co-worker like this, pick up the phone and ask them if they sent you the text message.  Or, just do what I did and let the support team know that this is showing up.

DON'T FORGET TO PASS THIS MESSAGE ON TO YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS - ESPECIALLY THOSE OLDER THAN YOU

One group of individuals that seems to get scammed more than others is those who are 60 years old or older.  If you have a loved one that falls in that age range and they have a cell phone, please call them right now and tell them that you are sending them this story and that they need to read it carefully.  If you don't, they may be the next story that we write talking about people falling for scams and how they lost thousands of dollars.  Don't let your family fail because you didn't hit that share.