Malwarebytes researchers spotted a SMS scam in the UK targeting parents and adults who know someone by the name Sarah.
Fraudsters are sending SMS messages from unfamiliar numbers, purportedly from someone named Sarah, claiming that “Sarah” had been in an accident and is in need of a favor and that the recipient should text back, according to an Aug 17 blog post.
Some messages contained elaborate and somewhat convincing, yet vague, explanations as to why the sender was texting from an unfamiliar number while others were short and simple requests to quickly respond, the blog said.
Researchers warn that simply responding to these messages could cost the recipient money as some attacks use social engineering to obtain credentials and even two-factor authentication codes.
Its recommended that users keep a calm head and attempt to contact the person in question using a familiar number regardless of what the message says.