Beware Of New Scams Targeting Verizon Customers After Outages

Once again, proof positive that every seven days there's at least one new scam out there ready to separate you from your hard-earned cash, and this one is a scam targeting Verizon phone users. 

A little history. 

It was only a few days ago that Verizon had a major outage, and after the outage, they notified their users that they would be eligible for a $20.00 credit for the inconvenience. Verizon users are supposed to wait for a text from Verizon, letting them know when the refund would be applied to their account. 

So now in true scammer form, scammers are sending out phishing emails and texts trying to get Verizon users to reveal their personal information in order to get this $20 credit. 

According to msn.com,
‘Scammers have leveraged the Verizon offer to send phishing texts and emails to Verizon customers, telling them they can get their $20 credit by providing personal information. The scammers then use the information for their benefit, and the user is left where they started: Needing to log into their account and opt in to receive the $20 credit waiting for them.’ 

This is a classic example of scammers taking what is a positive message from Verizon to their customers and turning it into a negative result for Verizon customers that respond to the phishing emails and texts. 

No warnings have been sent yet by the Federal Trade Commission or Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. But here's hoping they do so soon. Happily, some local law enforcement agencies around the country are sounding the warning. 

Remember this 

The thing to keep in mind is that legitimate companies like Verizon are not going to send unsolicited links claiming to offer that $20 credit. Verizon also said that what they will be doing is sending you a notification that your credit is already in your account and that you won't be required to provide personal information to receive it. 

If you decide to check to see if you've received that $20 credit to your account, remember to do it through an authorized legitimate Verizon account. Not through an unsolicited link. Go to the Verizon app on your phone or the Verizon website and enter there. 

As always, protect yourself and be skeptical.