Have you noticed you’re being bombarded by multiple weird SMS hits every day?

You’re certainly not alone. Robotexts are replacing robocalls – with almost 16,200 spamming messages leading to the loss of almost AU$9 million in Australia, in July 2021 alone!1

Robotexts are automated messages sent to phones that may look like:

  • Spam messages,
  • Appointment reminders,
  • Phishing attempts, and
  • Political texts.

Unfortunately, because spammers are targeting individuals using email addresses and phone numbers, we’re finding ourselves spammed on every device. And, because most people keep so much personal information on their phones and devices these days, this is extremely dangerous.

Unlike a Robocall, which will typically attempt to extract some personal information from you, robotexts provide links to malware that can compromise your device, leading to security threats, identity theft and financial loss.

Robotech spammers increasingly send messages to groups (sometimes from an email which makes it impossible to trace). While they may include a Reply STOP call to action, this is a hoax – send a STOP message and you’ll soon find yourself receiving multiple messages and notifications.

So, the rule is, if in doubt, do without… don’t respond, don’t click the link:

  • Never reply to a spam message,
  • Never click links if you’re not absolutely certain of where they’ve come from,
  • Block spam calls: for android phones, look for three dots in the top right-hand corner of your text. Click on the dots and select “People” and “Options”. Next, select “Block” to stop receiving spam text messages from that number; for iPhones, click on the “i” in the top right-hand corner of the spam text. Next, click on the number and select “Block”,
  • Delete spam from your inbox/messages,
  • Never disclose private information – if you’re asked for information, hang up and call the organisation on a verified number,
  • Check your phone bill regularly to ensure your number is not being used by a hacker,
  • Report spam to scamwatch.gov.au
  • Visit the same site to keep abreast of the latest threats.

Here to Help

As a contractor there’s plenty you need to be doing to manage your administration, let alone protect your security. At The Ayers Group, we can free you up to focus on what matters by taking care of your contract administration, your invoicing, expenses, tax obligations and more. Talk to an expert at The Ayers Group today.

  1. scamwatch.gov.au/scam-statistics?scamid=all&date=2021-07