Florida Attorney General: Robotexts surpass robocalls as most common scam message

TAMPA, Fla. - Attorney General Ashley Moody issued a warning to Floridians, saying there has been a significant rise in robotext scams.

Robotexts are now more prevalent than robocalls. Americans are on track to receive 86 billion automated text messages nationwide this year. By the end of the year, Floridians alone are expected to receive nearly 5 billion robotexts, making the Sunshine State one of the most spam-texted states in the nation.

In October, the Federal Communication Commission proposed new rules to hold phone companies responsible for blocking the automated text messages. FCC officials are also proposing large fines for anyone caught making scam calls.

The FCC runs the National Do Not Call Registry, a list you can sign-up for to help eliminate telemarking texts and phone calls.

READ: Florida poised to become first state to import prescription drugs from Canada

To avoid falling victim to illegal robotexts, Attorney General Moody recommends following these tips:

• Avoid answering texts from unrecognized numbers. Interacting with these messages shows the scammer that the targeted user is active and will lead to more frequent scam messages;
• Do not click on links in text messages from unknown numbers as they often contain malware or lead to malicious websites;
• Consider downloading text and call blocking apps to further prevent these scam texts from reaching a phone; and
• Know suspicious text messages from a five to six-digit short code telephone number may be a scam, unless the sender has registered the number in the U.S. Short Code Directory and the content of the message matches the registrant.