I had the opportunity this week to sit down with WMUR TV in Manchester, New Hampshire to discuss a concerning trend: scam text messages are flooding phones across the Granite State. Watch the full interview here.
The Problem: Scam Texts Are Getting Smarter
If you’ve received a text message claiming to be from your bank, a delivery service, or even law enforcement, you’re not alone. Scammers have shifted tactics. They’ve moved from the obvious “Nigerian prince” emails to sophisticated, personalized text messages that can fool even cautious consumers.
Here’s what makes these new scams so dangerous:
They use urgency. “Your account will be suspended in 24 hours” or “Unusual activity detected” are designed to make you panic and act without thinking.
They spoof real numbers. That text from “your bank” might look legitimate because the scammers are using number spoofing technology.
They leverage current events. During tax season, expect IRS scams. During holidays, expect package delivery scams. They’re opportunistic.
The Real Cost
I’m not just talking about the financial losses, though those are significant. The average victim loses thousands. I’m talking about identity theft that can take years to clean up. I’m talking about compromised business accounts that give attackers access to corporate networks.
One text message. One click. That’s all it takes.
What You Should Do Right Now
For Individuals:
- Never click links in unexpected texts. Even if it looks like it’s from a company you trust. Go directly to their website or app instead.
- Verify independently. If your “bank” texts you, call the number on the back of your card—not the number in the text.
- Enable spam filtering. Most carriers offer free spam text filtering. Turn it on.
- Report it. Forward suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM). It helps carriers block these messages.
For Business Leaders:
This isn’t just a consumer problem. Your employees are getting these texts too. And when they click that malicious link on a company phone—or worse, a company laptop—you have a problem.
You need a mobile security policy. Most businesses I’ve worked with have robust email security but completely ignore mobile threats. That’s like locking your front door and leaving the windows open.
Train your people. Regular security awareness training isn’t optional anymore. Your employees are your first line of defense.
Consider mobile device management (MDM). If employees access company data on their phones, you need visibility and control. Period.
The Bigger Picture
Scam texts are part of a larger trend: attackers go where the attention is. We’re all on our phones constantly. The average person checks their phone 96 times a day. That’s 96 opportunities for a scammer to catch you in a distracted moment.
The organizations that take mobile security seriously—really seriously—are going to be the ones that avoid breaches. The ones that don’t? They’re playing Russian roulette with their data.
Want to Learn More?
If you’re a business leader worried about these threats, let’s talk. I help organizations build security programs that actually work—not just check boxes, but protect against real-world attacks.
Contact me here or check out my upcoming book, “Cyber Security Programs for IT Managers,” where I break down exactly how to build a security program from the ground up.
Stay safe out there. And remember: when in doubt, don’t click.
James Gorman is a cybersecurity consultant and founder of Hard2Hack, helping businesses protect themselves from modern cyber threats. He was recently featured on WMUR TV discussing awareness of scam texts.
Media: Watch the WMUR Interview
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