Criminal Fraud Activity Bulletin

    

        Franklin County Sheriff’s Office

Skip Shiver, Sheriff

May 15, 2012

Criminal Fraud Activity Bulletin

There has been a sudden increase in scam text messages referring people to a site where they can “claim a Wal-Mart Gift Card” Target Gift Card or Best Buy Gift Card by entering certain private personal information. These attacks that take place through SMS text message technologies to personal mobile phones are scams and are in no way sponsored by or affiliated with these above mentioned stores. This type of scam has come to be known as “Smishing” because of the use of SMS text technology. Similar to the way scam web sites send “Phishing” emails, scam artists have been sending text messages offering free gift cards to consumers in exchange for entering information on a mobile website. The most popular website being used recently is called “walmartgift.mobi”. This site is not owned, operated by, or affiliated with Wal-Mart. Any site can be used for this scam and users are often asked for private personal information including credit card numbers or social security numbers. Providing this type of information is very likely to lead to identity theft or credit card fraud. 

These text messages and the sites being used are not from these stores and are not associated with parties promoting this activity. Legitimate businesses will never initiate a text message where we ask for sensitive personal data like credit card information or social security numbers. 

If you receive these e-mail or text messages, it is advised that you disregard or call the business main office to report this activity.  

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