Scam Text Alert Issued By East Bay Police Department

ALAMEDA, CA — Most consumers are wary of emails and phone calls, as they've been the source of scams for years. But the Alameda Police Department wants you to be careful of text messages, as well.

Police provided the above photo of a phony text, aimed at stealing your personal information. As with emails, they are called phishing scams. APD advises that a valid financial institution will never ask for your private banking information over text or email. Here's their list of tips —

Don't reply to an email, phone call or text message that does the following:

• Requires you to give your personal or account information either directly in the email or on a website the email sends you to. Some attackers, for example, use pop-up windows on Web pages to ask for your confidential information.
• Threatens to close or suspend your account if you don't take immediate action
• Invites you to answer a survey that asks you to enter personal or account information
• Tells you your account has been compromised, then asks you to give or confirm your personal or account information
• Tells you there are unauthorized charges on your account, then asks you to give your personal or account information
• Asks you to confirm, verify or update your account, credit card or billing information

If you receive a phishing message, do not reply, delete the text and inform the bank of the scam.

See Also:

• SEE: Brazen Laptop Theft In East Bay Coffee Shop Caught On Camera

— Image via Alameda Police Department