Why You Get Scam Texts (And What to Do About It)
It’s 7:30 PM. You finally sit down and your phone buzzes. You grab it, thinking it’s something urgent, and… nope. Just “Unknown Caller.” Or maybe a text about a package you never ordered.
Why does this keep happening? And how do you know when it’s real?
How Did They Get My Number?
First, don’t panic. It’s usually not personal.
Scammers aren’t targeting you because of who you are. Your phone number is just one piece of data in a giant list. They use software to blast thousands of calls and texts at once. If even a few people respond, they win.
Think about how often we share our number…store rewards programs, online contests, that random app you downloaded years ago. Over time, data gets shared, sold, or leaked. That’s how your number ends up on a list. It’s just part of living in a connected world.
What Is “Smishing”?
Those fake texts have a name: Smishing (SMS phishing). Sounds silly, but it’s serious.
The text itself isn’t the real danger, it’s the link inside. We see a blue link and instinctively want to tap it. But clicking can lead to fake login pages that steal your info or even install malware on your phone.
It’s easy to slip up. We’re busy. We’re distracted. We see “Your account is suspended” and react before thinking.
Could This Be Campus Federal?
Scammers love pretending to be banks or credit unions because it gets your attention fast. They might text saying there’s “suspicious activity” or a big transfer happening.
They want you to panic. They want you to click a link or reply.
If you do, they might call you pretending to be our fraud department. They’ll sound professional. They might even have background noise like a real call center.
Here’s the golden rule:
Campus Federal will never call or text asking for your online banking username, password or a one-time passcode. Ever.
We don’t need your password to help you. If someone asks for it, hang up. It’s a scam.
What Should You Do?
If something feels off, maybe the message is urgent or the request seems strange, trust your gut.
- Don’t reply
- Don’t click links
- Call us directly
If you think you’ve been targeted or just want to be sure, call us right away at 888-769-8841.
It’s always better to hang up and call back on a number you know is real. We won’t be offended. In fact, we prefer it.
Stay safe out there.