Scammers are exploiting personal information from data breaches to send unusually brief texts that include a recipient’s name followed by a question mark, aiming to prompt a reply and initiate engagement. Such responses signal willingness to converse, enabling scammers to build trust for schemes like cryptocurrency investment fraud or to recycle the number for further scams. Security advice includes ignoring and not replying to these messages, reporting and blocking the sender, tightening privacy settings, and using tools like Malwarebytes Digital Footprint Scan and Scam Number Check to monitor exposure and scam risks.
Scammers Know Your Name, and They’re Counting on You to Reply
