Lesson 20 of 20 · About 4 minutes
Free lesson: avoid phishing
Learn the concept.
Wrong number? Don’t reply. An unexpected text can be a real mistake, but it can also start a conversation designed to gain your trust and steer you into a fake investment.
Watch the request change.
One possible pattern, not proof that every mistaken text is a scam.
- An unexpected message
“Is this Maya? Are we still meeting?”
- A friendship builds
Regular conversation makes the sender feel familiar.
- An investment appears
A crypto pitch replaces the original reason for contact.
Read the visualDoes replying once mean you must continue the conversation?
No. Stop engaging, avoid links and payments, and use the app’s block and report tools if the messages are suspicious.
A friendly opening can be the first step
A stranger sends a message apparently meant for someone else. If you reply, they apologize and keep chatting. Over days or weeks, they may build a friendship before mentioning money. You do not need to correct an unexpected sender. A polite reply alone does not mean your phone is hacked; you can stop the conversation at any point.
Notice when the conversation changes
Watch for a new contact who introduces a wealthy relative, a secret trading method, or a crypto platform. A promise of unusually high, risk-free profits is a warning sign. Investment involves risk. Screenshots of earnings, a professional-looking app, and friendly messages do not independently verify the person or the investment.
Keep your decision outside their conversation
Do not send money, install an app, or share passwords or sign-in codes to try the offer. Stop using links and instructions from the contact. If you want to explore an investment, research it independently and speak with a trusted person or qualified professional. A small successful withdrawal does not prove a platform is legitimate; scammers can use early payouts to encourage larger deposits.
Disengage and report without blame
Use your messaging app’s block and report-junk tools for suspicious messages. In the U.S., you can also forward unwanted texts to 7726 (SPAM) and report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you sent money, promptly contact the bank, payment service, or exchange you used and ask what help is available. Preserve relevant messages and transaction records. Crypto payments are usually irreversible; be wary of anyone who charges a fee and guarantees recovery.
Put it in context
In the Day 19 Short, Leo replies to a wrong-number text. Friendly conversation leads to a story about an uncle’s crypto success. Sam helps him spot the pitch, then Leo blocks and reports it. In Try, read a fictional conversation and choose where to stop, what to question, and how to report it.
Make a decision.
Explore the practice space, then answer the check-in below. A correct answer lets you save this lesson to your progress.
PRACTICE · FICTIONAL SCENARIO
A wrong number. Then an investment.
Read a fictional conversation, choose not to engage with the unexpected sender, identify the crypto pitch, and use the simulated block and report action.
Enable JavaScript to try the controls. This practice does not change real settings or submit personal information.
Take this with you.
Ignore unexpected wrong-number texts, keep your money and sign-in details out of a stranger’s pitch, and block and report suspicious messages.
Explore a career track- Ignore unexpected wrong-number texts.
- Don’t send money or sign-in details to a new contact.
- Block and report suspicious messages.
Already replied? You can still stop. A reply alone does not prove your phone is compromised. If you paid, contact your payment provider promptly and keep relevant records.
See it in a Short.
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