# @cityofveniceflorida on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DEnicL5SKpy
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/25971577-cityofveniceflorida-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/fb4b9ff88a.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-01-09T20:11:36.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Lorraine Anderson (@cityofveniceflorida) — https://gondola.cc/cityofveniceflorida

## Caption

VENICE POLICE DEPARTMENT: 🚨 SMISHING ALERT! 🚨 We’ve recently seen increased reports of smishing scams — fraudulent text messages containing malicious links designed to steal your personal information. These scams often target banking details, login credentials, and other sensitive data.
 
Here’s how to spot a smishing scam:
🔎 Generic greetings: “Dear customer” instead of your name, or no name
⚠️ Urgency tactics: “Act now!” or “Limited time offer”
🖋️ Spelling mistakes: Errors in company names or details, or names like look similar 
🔗 Suspicious links: Links that don’t match official websites
📱 Unknown sender: A number you don’t recognize
 
Common smishing scams to watch for:
💳 Fake bank alert: “Your account has suspicious activity. Click here to verify: [link]”
📦 Package delivery scam: “Your package is delayed. Update details here: [link]”
🎁 Prize notification: “Congrats! You’ve won a gift card! Claim now: [link]”
 
What to do if you receive a smishing text:
🚫 Do NOT click the link — It’s better to be safe than sorry
🗑️ Delete the message — Don’t engage with the sender
📲 Report the number — Your carrier may offer a way to report spam
📞 Verify directly — Contact the company through their official phone number, mobile application or website
 
Stay alert and protect your personal info! Don’t become a victim. 💙 
#SmishingScam #StaySafe #VPD

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 33
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 2

## Tags

staysafe, vpd, smishingscam

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