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Do not reply to these messages.<\/p>\n
getty<\/p>\n
Republished on August 30 with a new warning as dangerous messages surge.<\/p>\n
Whether you\u2019re buying a new iPhone 17 or upgrading your existing device to iOS 26<\/a>, there\u2019s one update that could be more critical than the rest. When you unbox your new phone or install the iOS update, you need to check one setting right away.<\/p>\n iPhone users are under siege from a plague of scam text messages that is now out of control. Designed in China<\/a> and fueled by kits sold or rented to threat actors around the world, these attacks are disguised as unpaid toll, undelivered package or motoring offense lures. But beneath the surface they steal your money and your passwords.<\/p>\n ForbesIf You See This Number On Your Phone, Your Gmail Is Under AttackBy Zak Doffman<\/a><\/p>\n There has been criticism of networks for not doing enough to kill these texts before they reach your device. But criminal gangs stay ahead of this by revolving numbers and using farms of consumer devices to push out their messages. And so it falls to defenses on the phone to ensure citizens in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere do not fall victim.<\/p>\n Apple\u2019s answer is the new scam warning coming to Messages with iOS 26, You can already filter messages from \u201cunknown senders.” That\u2019s helpful and there is some link protection, which is why you need to reply to a scam message to click on one. But iOS 26 goes further, differentiating between unknown senders and spam, including scams.<\/p>\n Per 9to5Mac<\/a>, \u201cApple is applying two specific restrictions to messages in the \u2018Spam\u2019 folder, which will make it harder to fall for potentially malicious texts.\u201d One is the current link block, but the other is actually more significant.<\/p>\n \u201cUsers can\u2019t reply to messages in the Spam folder,\u201d 9to5Mac explains, \u201cwhich makes it harder to engage with a potential scammer. And while it\u2019s easy to move a message from \u2018Spam\u2019 back to the main Messages view, that small bit of friction can go a long way in helping users avoid accidentally falling for a phishing attempt.\u201d<\/p>\n Text scams either need you to click a link or \u2014 increasingly \u2014 just reply. As I\u2019ve warned<\/a> before, that\u2019s behind the short, sharp curiosity texts designed to spark up a discussion and lead you blindly into a trap. \u201cHello.\u201d Or \u201cSorry I\u2019m running late.\u201d Or \u201cWhat time is the restaurant booked for tonight?\u201d Or multiple similar themes.<\/p>\n Such is the seriousness of Apple\u2019s warning that such messages may be harmful, you can\u2019t reply even if you want to. You need to make a decision to correct Apple\u2019s inherent warning that the message is unsafe, and physically move it to another folder.<\/p>\n Spam protection coming with iOS 16<\/p>\n 9to5Mac<\/p>\n Apple\u2019s move is welcome and reflects the warnings from the FBI<\/a>, FTC<\/a> and others \u2014 do not reply or otherwise engage with texts from unknown senders until you can verify who it is. Replying with \u201cWho is this?\u201d does not count as independent verification.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you have a cell phone, you probably use it dozens of times a day to text people you know. But have you ever gotten a text message from an unknown sender?\u201d FTC says. \u201cIt could be a scammer trying to steal your personal and financial information.\u201d<\/p>\n The scale of current text attacks is beyond the imagination of most of us \u2014 literally billions upon billions of messages sent. And plenty get through. Google and Apple are now acting to keep you safer. Make sure you enable this setting. And meantime, even ahead of iOS 26, heed Apple\u2019s warning and do not reply to unknown senders.<\/p>\n