Virgin Media customers urged to check phones 'now' for dangerous text message

Virgin Media has warned customers with an iPhone or Android to be on the lookout for potentially dangerous scam texts landing in their inboxes.

According to the telecoms giant, fraudsters are using tried and tested tactics as well as some new methods to try and swindle money out of victims, potentially draining their bank accounts.

A recent surge in attacks means people should be even more vigilant than usual, with one very common text scam proving to be hugely popular at the minute.

According to Virgin Media O2, scammers have been cashing in by pretending to offer a ECO4 energy efficiency grant to customers over text message, the Mirror reports.

These texts suggest there are "free" upgrades for homes to help reduce energy costs - but in reality the messages are simply trying to trick people into handing over personal data and payment details.

“The rise in fraudulent messages linked to government schemes designed to tackle fuel poverty shows that scammers will stop at nothing when it comes to targeting their victims," explained Murray Mackenzie, Director of Fraud at Virgin Media O2.

“That’s why it’s more important than ever to stay vigilant and take time before acting on an unexpected text. We blocked more than 89 million fraudulent texts from reaching customers last year, but with fraudsters continuously using new tactics to pray on their victims, we encourage customers to help by reporting suspicious messages for free to 7726 so we can investigate and stop scammers in their tracks.”

However, the most popular text scam at the moment continues to be the infamous 'Hi Mum/Hi Dad' method, where people pretend to be someone's child texting from a new number and ask for money to fix their lost, broken or stolen phone.

Victims of this scam have already handed over thousands of pounds and it remains one to watch out for.

Fake package delivery texts - where fraudsters claim to be from well-known and trusted companies to try and deceive people into revealing sensitive information - remain popular with crooks.

If you get a text you suspect is a scam, you should forward it to 7726 and never click on any links. This free service checks texts and can then block others from receiving them.

Virgin Media O2 says it managed to block 89 million texts from reaching customers in 2023. However, some are still slipping through the cracks, meaning it's vital to stay vigilant.

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