Authorities are cautioning the public about SMS "blaster" scams that facilitate the sending of fraudulent texts without needing personal phone numbers. A recent case involved a man jailed for over a year for using such a device to send messages impersonating trusted organizations, highlighting the growing threat of smishing attacks.

Scammers are impersonating employees of the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to trick fraud victims into providing personal information under the pretense of helping them recover lost funds. The FBI has reported over 100 instances of this tactic over the past two years, warning individuals to be cautious and not share sensitive information with unknown contacts online. They emphasize that IC3 employees do not reach out directly to victims or ask for payment for recovery services.