In this week’s scam, cybercriminals send you a text message claiming you have reward points that are about to expire. The message appears to come from a well-known organization, such as your mobile service provider or your bank. It warns that you have thousands of points that will disappear in just a few days unless you act now. The message includes a link and instructs you to select it to claim your rewards.

However, this is a smishing, or text phishing, scam! If you select the link, you will be directed to a fake website and asked to provide your user credentials or banking information to claim your rewards. But if you enter any information on this page, cybercriminals will steal it immediately!

Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to this smishing scam:

 If you receive a text message that claims you have rewards points that are about to expire, don’t select any links. Instead, use the organization’s official mobile app or website to check your account.

 Cybercriminals use urgent language and the threat of short deadlines, such as “expiring soon,” to trick you into acting quickly. Always stop and think before you act!

 If you receive a suspicious text message, do not reply, as this could let scammers know that your phone number is active. Instead, report the message to your mobile provider so they can block similar messages in the future.