Merely opening the message wouldnt do any harm, but if you click on those suspicious links, you might be redirected to some untrustworthy webpages or sites. Some texts messages might also contain links that can trigger the download of an unwanted app.

Can opening a text message be harmful?

Text messages are just one of the ways that criminals try to persuade people to download malware. Simply opening and reading an SMS text message is unlikely to infect your phone, but you can get a virus or malware if you download an infected attachment or click a link to a compromised website.

Can someone hack you by opening a text?

You dont even have to click anything. When you think about how hackers could break into your smartphone, you probably imagine it would start with clicking a malicious link in a text, downloading a fraudulent app, or some other way you accidentally let them in.

Should you open unknown text messages?

If you get an unknown text message (ie: a text from an unknown sender) there are two things you should do: Do NOT open any attachments and do NOT click on any links in the unknown message. Block the unknown number so you dont get any more messages from them.

Can you get scammed through a text?

Text message or SMS phishing—also called “smishing”—occurs when scam artists use deceptive text messages to lure consumers into providing their personal or financial information.

What happens if you click on a spam text?

Clicking on a link in a spam text message could install malware that can collect information from your phone. Malware can also slow down your cell phones performance by taking up space on your phones memory. Once the spammer has your information, it can be sold to marketers or, worse, identity thieves.

What happens if you reply stop to a spam text?

And if you think replying “STOP” to the message will make it all go away, think again. Any reply to the message will only confirm that the spammer has hit on a working cellphone number, and he or she can sell the number to marketers.

What should I do if I get a text from an unknown number?

Do not reply to text messages from unknown parties. Do not send anything back--not questions as to the senders identity, and not requests to remove you from their list.