LAFAYETTE, La. ( KLFY ) — Scammers are texting children by the wrong name, hoping it starts a conversation with them to get personal information.
One Lafayette teen was messaged, “Hi, Rose. This is Elizabeth. Sorry to bother you, just trying to reach out to see how you’re doing.”
Her name is not Rose, so it may seem like the sender texted the wrong number. Most people would reply, “Sorry, wrong number,” which is exactly what the scammers want.
If the child responds, the scammer starts a conversation, telling the child they could be friends.
The mother of a 13-year-old who was targeted in this scam wants to warn other parents to be aware of “friends” their child is messaging.
“They could be like, ‘Oh, well, what’s your name? What school do you go to?’ And then they play this role of, ‘Oh, well, I’m in the same grade,’” the mother said. “They try to befriend the kids before they actually get their information or their parents’ information.”
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