The Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO) is encouraging citizens to be aware of the Noortimer text phishing scam, in which potential victims receive fraudulent texts impersonating Equifax attempting to collect personal and financial information.
The scammer sends a text message alerting a person that their credit score is dropping. The message links to a website that says “Page Not Found,” and then redirects to an antivirus site. Victims purchase antivirus products, while the scammers collect their personal data, according to a PSO news release.
It should be noted that Equifax does not contact customers via text message, the release says.
In order to avoid falling victim to the Noortimer scam and other similar threats, the PSO shares these steps citizens can take:
Enable multi-factor authentication.
Do not read messages received from someone you do not know.
Contact Equifax using a verified number from its official website.
Monitor credit reports and financial statements regularly.
For more crime prevention tips to stay safe from scams, follow PSO’s social media channels or visit News.PascoSheriff.com.
Contact law enforcement immediately if you are the victim of a scam or fraud.
Published March 06, 2024
