A recent resurgence of a convincing text message scam has placed all EE customers on high alert. The fraudulent message prompts recipients to claim their supposed “EE reward points” before they expire by clicking a link that leads to a fake EE website. Despite the appearance of legitimacy, the message is a scam aimed at extracting money and personal information. Incidents of this scam seem to be on the rise, with reports indicating an increase in occurrences this month.
In an effort to caution others, multiple EE users have shared their experiences on online forums. One user recounted receiving a text message about rewards and mistakenly clicking the link, which resembled an authentic EE website. Another individual admitted falling for the scam momentarily but recognized the ruse and closed the fraudulent site promptly.
Phonely, a cybersecurity company, has noted an uptick in reports on its scam-tracking platform, “Who Called Me,” revealing that fraudulent messages are being sent from random numbers posing as EE.
To raise awareness, Phonely advises all mobile users to exercise caution when receiving unexpected messages regarding rewards, prizes, or expiring benefits.
Bryn Thompson, Marketing Director at Phonely, emphasized the deceptive nature of these texts, warning that scammers adeptly mimic legitimate notifications. Thompson urged individuals to refrain from clicking on links in unsolicited texts and encouraged them to contact their mobile service provider using official channels if in doubt.
EE has confirmed the absence of a points or rewards program and provided an example of the fraudulent message to help customers identify such scams.
In response, EE advised recipients of these messages to ignore them and avoid clicking on any embedded links to maintain security.
The fraudulent text message reads as follows:
“The EE points program reminds you: Since you are a high-quality user of our company, we will give you some points as a gift. The points will expire in three working days. Please click on the link below to use your points to redeem prizes in time!”
EE emphasized that the message is fraudulent and advised recipients not to click on unknown links in text messages, avoid responding, calling the provided number, or sharing personal or financial information.
The key advice is clear: if you receive messages from EE regarding reward points, refrain from clicking on any links or disclosing personal information.