What Happens If You Respond to a Spam Text?

SadaNews - Spam messages are witnessing an unprecedented spread, invading smartphones, emails, and social media platforms, with scammers resorting to more clever and deceptive methods to lure victims.

Among the most common of these methods currently are scams via text messages, which have been warned against by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), stating that fraudulent job offers and fake package delivery notifications were among the most prominent scams in 2024.

Although some of these messages are easy to detect, the most dangerous are those known as the "wrong number" tactic, which starts with a simple message like: "Hi, how are you?".

An Innocent Message with Serious Consequences

According to the Credit Union National Association of the U.S. Senate, responding to such a message could have far-reaching consequences.

On the surface, it may seem like just a message sent by mistake, which is common in daily life, according to a report published by the "slashgear" website reviewed by "Al Arabiya Business".

However, if it is sent by a scammer, responding to it achieves two dangerous goals for them:

First, it confirms that the phone number is active and is indeed in use.

Second, it reveals that the owner of the number is interactive and ready for conversation, which is enough to continue the barrage of spam messages or for the data to be transferred to wider scam networks.

How Does the Spam Message Trap Work?

Unlike blatant phishing emails, such as winning a huge prize in a contest you didn't enter, "wrong number" messages rely on simplicity and disguise. Mistakes in calling or messaging are common, and the receiver often initiates a response to correct the error.

But if the sender is a scammer, this response provides them with valuable information: a valid phone number that can be exploited or sold later.

Cybersecurity firm Norton warns that this data is a hot commodity in the world of digital fraud, as it gets traded among scammers for use in subsequent phishing campaigns.

The Danger is Greater Than It Appears

In the world of digital security, a small oversight can be enough to open the door to larger problems, ranging from repeated spam messages to attempts at financial fraud and data theft.

A study conducted by Transaction Network Services in 2022 indicates that 75% of users do not respond to calls from unknown numbers, reflecting a growing awareness of the risks.

However, this does not mean ignoring every unknown contact; rather, the important thing is to know how to distinguish text message scams (Smishing) and deal with them cautiously.

The Golden Rule is Simple

Responding to an unknown text message may be enough to put you on the scammers' list.

As scam methods evolve, ignoring suspicious messages, blocking unknown numbers, and reporting them remain among the best digital protection strategies in an age where innocent messages are not always as they seem.