by Maggie Wulff
Maggie Wulff is a Legal Shield Representative and member of East Bay Business Exchange.
You've probably been hearing a lot about contact tracing.
Contact tracers work with an infected person to get names and phone numbers for everyone that infected person came in close contact with. Those names and phone numbers are often kept in an online system.
People who had contact with someone infected with COVID-19 may first get a text message from the health department, notifying them they'll get a call from a specific number. At the end of the call, some states ask if the contact would like to enroll in a text message program, which sends daily health and safety reminders until the 14-day quarantine ends.
The tracer who calls will not ask for personal information like your social security number, bank account, credit card number, nor will they ask for money.
Anyone who does is a scammer.
These scammers are pretending to be contact tracers who are taking advantage of how the process works by sending text messages. But theirs are spam text messages that ask you to click a link.
Don't take the bait. Clicking on the link will download software onto your device, giving scammers access to your personal and financial information. Ignore and delete these scam messages.
Here are six ways to filter unwanted text messages or stop them before they reach you.
Your phone may have an option to filter and block messages from unknown senders or spam.
Your wireless provider may have a tool or service that lets you block text messages.
Some call-blocking apps also let you block unwanted text messages.
Here are other steps you can take to protect yourself from text scammers.
Protect your online accounts by using multi-factor authentication.
Enable auto-updates for the operating systems on your electronic devices. Make sure your apps also auto-update so you get the latest security patches that can protect for malware.
Remember, a certified contact tracer who calls will not ask for personal information like your social security number, bank account, credit card number, nor will they ask for money. Be safe and don't click the link in suspicious text messages.
Maggie Wulff of a Legal Shield Representative recently shared an update on new text message scams about contact tracing. Legal Shield offers smart, affordable plans for both businesses and individuals. Contact local representative, Maggie Wulff at (925) 202-9198 for more information.