The Vermont Attorney General’s office is warning wireless phone consumers about a new scam called “smishing” that is targeting Vermonters.
Attorney General William Sorrell says his office has received numerous reports of fraudulent text messages from the number 400999, indicating that there is a problem with a debit or credit card and providing a telephone number to “unfreeze” the account.
The SmiShing” or “Short Messaging Service” is using the text messages to fraudulently acquire personal information.
The AG’s office says the scam is currently targeting Verizon Wireless and Straight Talk/TracFone telephones and customers should not respond to the text messages nor call the numbers provided in the messages.