{"id":212615,"date":"2025-05-13T18:59:02","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T01:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=212615"},"modified":"2025-05-13T19:03:41","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T02:03:41","slug":"fake-text-nearly-takes-identity-corys-scam-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/fake-text-nearly-takes-identity-corys-scam-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Cory&#8217;s Scam Story: A Fake Text Nearly Took His Identity"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Cory considers himself pretty cautious. But like millions of people juggling packed schedules, one click on a hectic day proved costly.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The message looked legit. It said it was from his phone provider. It claimed someone was trying to access his account and urged him to verify via a link. He tapped. And just like that, his phone went dark.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cI was in the middle of a busy day and clicked without thinking. My phone stopped working almost immediately.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Cory\u2019s Story<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;134245418&quot;:true,&quot;134245529&quot;:true,&quot;335559738&quot;:281,&quot;335559739&quot;:281}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What Cory didn\u2019t know was that the message wasn\u2019t from his real cell company\u2014it was from a scammer. The link gave them everything they needed to hijack his phone number.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In minutes, someone walked into a brick-and-mortar phone store, bought a new device, and ported Cory\u2019s number to it. That gave them access to two-factor authentication codes, texts, and more.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201cSuddenly I couldn\u2019t call, text, or access anything that used my phone number. It was terrifying.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">As a life coach, Cory communicates with clients constantly\u2014often by text. The idea that someone could impersonate him wasn\u2019t just inconvenient. It was threatening.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cI\u2019m a life coach\u2014I talk to clients all day. The thought that someone could impersonate me or access those conversations was awful.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">He had to print out directions just to get to a Verizon store and spent nearly six hours recovering his phone number. Though he reset passwords in time to avoid deeper harm, billing issues lingered for months.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cIt was one click. That\u2019s all it took. I\u2019ll never forget how fast it happened.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Cory&#039;s Scam Story: A Fake Text Nearly Took His Identity\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/65OMpm6NvLE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">How McAfee\u2019s Scam Detector Could Have Helped Prevent the SIM Swap Scam<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;134245418&quot;:true,&quot;134245529&quot;:true,&quot;335559738&quot;:281,&quot;335559739&quot;:281}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">SIM swap scams\u2014like the one Cory experienced\u2014are rising. The scary part? They often start with a single click. That\u2019s where <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/learn\/scam-detector\/\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">McAfee\u2019s Scam Detector<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> can make all the difference.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">If Cory had access to McAfee\u2019s Scam Detector, here\u2019s how it could have helped:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Text Scam Detection<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/learn\/scam-detector\/\">McAfee\u2019s Scam Detector<\/a>\u00a0proactively scans incoming texts and flags ones that mimic trusted brands like Verizon.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"2\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Quick Check<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">: Unsure if a message is legit? Paste it into Scam Detector to get an instant analysis\u2014so you can decide before you click.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"1\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-aria-posinset=\"3\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Link Protection<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">: If Cory had tapped the scam link, McAfee\u2019s Safe Browsing could have blocked access to the malicious site in real time.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Cory\u2019s story is a powerful reminder: even careful people can get caught. The right protection gives you time to pause\u2014and tools to act.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 aria-level=\"3\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">How to Avoid Phone Number Porting and SIM Swap Scams<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;134245418&quot;:true,&quot;134245529&quot;:true,&quot;335559738&quot;:281,&quot;335559739&quot;:281}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">To stay ahead of similar scams, here are four critical tips:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p aria-level=\"4\"><b>1. Never click links in texts from unknown numbers.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Even if it looks like it\u2019s from your phone carrier. Always verify through official apps or websites.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p aria-level=\"4\"><b>2. Turn on multi-factor authentication using an app\u2014not just SMS.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Scammers target phone numbers for a reason. Authenticator apps like Google Authenticator or Duo offer stronger security.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p aria-level=\"4\"><b>3. Use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/learn\/scam-detector\/\">McAfee\u2019s Scam Detector<\/a> for real-time protection.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Whether it\u2019s a text, email, or link, McAfee can spot scam language and risky behavior before you\u2019re compromised.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p aria-level=\"4\"><b>4. Report suspicious texts and lock down your account.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Call your carrier immediately if your service cuts off suddenly or you see suspicious account changes.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-212961\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/8cdeb5ac-d081-4c75-9d81-a8d4cc8ef2e6.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"478\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/8cdeb5ac-d081-4c75-9d81-a8d4cc8ef2e6.png 478w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/8cdeb5ac-d081-4c75-9d81-a8d4cc8ef2e6-143x300.png 143w, https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/8cdeb5ac-d081-4c75-9d81-a8d4cc8ef2e6-62x129.png 62w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 478px) 100vw, 478px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 aria-level=\"3\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">One Click Isn\u2019t the End\u2014But It Can Be the Beginning<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;134245418&quot;:true,&quot;134245529&quot;:true,&quot;335559738&quot;:281,&quot;335559739&quot;:281}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Cory\u2019s quick click could have ended much worse. But what matters most is what happened after. He acted fast. He reset passwords. And now, he speaks out to help others recognize the signs.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cSlow down. Trust your gut. It\u2019s okay to pause and double-check\u2014even when you\u2019re in a hurry.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Scammers count on your rush. Slowing down\u2014and having the right tools\u2014can make all the difference.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">If you\u2019ve experienced a scam, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/scam-stories\">your story can help others avoid the same fate<\/a>. You\u2019re not alone.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/scam-stories\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Visit our Scam Stories hub <\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">to read more scam stories or share your own.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cory considers himself pretty cautious. But like millions of people juggling packed schedules, one click on a hectic day proved&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1440,"featured_media":213142,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10661,13],"tags":[],"coauthors":[16632],"class_list":["post-212615","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-internet-security","category-privacy-identity-protection"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Cory&#039;s Scam Story: A Fake Text Nearly Took His Identity | McAfee Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Cory considers himself pretty cautious. 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