Days after a service outage at Verizon affected over 1.5 million customers, scammers are exploiting the situation with phishing texts and emails. The outage, which occurred last Wednesday, prompted Verizon to offer a $20 credit to affected customers who opt in via the myVerizon app.
Scammers have sent messages claiming to offer the credit in exchange for personal information. However, Verizon stated that customers will receive a text notification when the credit is available, and no personal details beyond login credentials are needed to accept it.
The Jones County Sheriff's Office in Georgia has warned residents about the scam, advising against clicking any links in unsolicited messages. “Legit companies like Verizon will not send unsolicited links promising free credits,” the office said in a Facebook post.
To avoid fraud, customers should access their accounts directly through the official Verizon app or website. The Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have not yet commented on the scams.
