The Detroit Police Department recently issued a public warning about a phishing text message scam circulating in the area, urging residents to be cautious and avoid engaging with suspicious messages. Officials shared examples of the fraudulent texts on the department’s official social media accounts, highlighting how the scam attempts to trick people into clicking links or providing personal information.
According to the department, the scam messages may appear to come from an official source but are designed to deceive recipients into believing they are legitimate. If a person receives one of these texts, police advise not to reply, click on any links, or enter any personal data. Instead, recipients should delete the message immediately and report it as spam.
Phishing scams sent via text — sometimes called “smishing” — aim to steal sensitive information such as login credentials, financial details, or identity data by luring victims to fake websites or prompting them to respond under false pretenses. Law enforcement and consumer protection officials across Michigan have seen an increase in similar scams, including fake messages about unpaid tolls, government notices, or account issues that prompt urgent action…