Received a text from yourself? Be aware of this latest scam

Spam texts from your own number? That's the latest scam reported by cell phone users.

A text from your own phone number. With a link. It's getting harder and harder to separate what you should open to what could end up crashing your phone or compromising your identity.

Before the constant barrage of scams coming through email and text, there was identity theft, which happened when someone got ahold of your Social Security number and other details and stole your identity.

I've told this story before about when this happened to me and my wife Jodi. We were away on vacation and returned home to several credit card bills that were long past due with thousands of dollars owed on each account. In all, the thieves racked up more than $40,000 in my wife's name including nearly $8,000 in new flooring from a big box store and more than $2,000 in lingerie from a women's boutique.

It took many calls and a police report to clear everything up and a few more months of overdue bills mailed to the house. At the time, the cops told us it was the biggest identity theft case they had seen.

The takeaway is that someone could be out there right now scamming to get a hold of your information and rack up debt or worse. The best you can do is follow your gut. If it's a link that you didn't send yourself or request from a vendor, don't click it!

The crooks keep coming at people with seemingly ridiculous scams because they must be working. Part of the problem is most people are so busy they are not paying full attention. Make sure when an unidentified number calls or texts you, you go to the info button for the number and block that caller. Don't be a victim, fight back!

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.

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