TL;DR: These scams cluster around severe weather events — hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms — in the hours just before or during a warning, when people are anxious and moving fast for real information. Get storm information from your local weather service or emergency management agency's official app or site, not from a link in an unsolicited text.
These scams cluster around severe weather events — hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms — in the hours just before or during a warning, when people are anxious and moving fast for real information.
How the Scam Plays Out
Fake alert texts mimic official emergency-alert formatting and include a link claiming to offer safety updates or shelter information, instead leading to a page that installs malware or harvests personal data.
How to Protect Yourself
Get storm information from your local weather service or emergency management agency's official app or site, not from a link in an unsolicited text.
If this looks similar to something else you've seen, it's worth reading Spring Break Travel Booking Scams.
This pattern shows up elsewhere too — see Student Loan Repayment Restart Scams.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does this typically happen?
These scams cluster around severe weather events — hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms — in the hours just before or during a warning, when people are anxious and moving fast for real information.
What tactics are used?
Fake alert texts mimic official emergency-alert formatting and include a link claiming to offer safety updates or shelter information, instead leading to a page that installs malware or harvests personal data.
How can I protect myself?
Get storm information from your local weather service or emergency management agency's official app or site, not from a link in an unsolicited text.
What should I do if I’ve already been targeted?
Stop all payments immediately, contact your bank or card issuer to see if a transaction can be reversed or flagged, and report the incident to the appropriate consumer protection body.