EE customers are being cautioned about a resurgence of a text message scam that has recently reappeared. The fraudulent message prompts recipients to quickly claim their supposed “EE reward points” before they expire, leading them to a fake EE website through a provided link. Despite the appearance of legitimacy, the scheme is aimed at extracting money and personal information. This scam is reportedly on the rise, with a noticeable increase in incidents this month.
Several EE users have taken to online forums to warn others about the scam. One user shared, “I received a text this morning regarding my rewards. I clicked on the link, and it resembled a genuine EE website. Please be cautious.” Another user admitted, “I fell for a text about EE points rewards and entered my phone number. I realized it was a scam and exited the site immediately.”
Phonely, a cybersecurity firm, has observed a surge in reports on its scam-tracking platform, “Who Called Me,” indicating that fraudulent messages are being sent from random numbers posing as EE. The firm advises all mobile users to be wary of unexpected messages concerning rewards, prizes, or expiring benefits.
Bryn Thompson, Marketing Director at Phonely, highlighted the deceptive nature of these texts, cautioning that scammers excel at making them appear authentic. Thompson advised against clicking on links in unsolicited texts and recommended contacting mobile providers directly using official channels if uncertain.
EE has clarified that they do not operate a points or rewards program and has provided an example of the scam message for customer awareness. The company emphasizes ignoring such messages and refraining from clicking on any links.
The misleading text message states: “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 reiterated that the message is not genuine and advised recipients to avoid clicking on unknown links in text messages, refraining from responding or sharing personal or financial information.
The simple advice given is to disregard any messages from EE regarding reward points, avoiding link clicks and personal information disclosures.