New Yorkers Targeted By These New Sneaky Scam Texts

A new scam text is hitting New York phones, and it looks harmless at first. But experts say replying could put your number at risk.

Yesterday, I got a text that at first glance seems harmless. It wasn't asking for money or threatening, but turns out it's a new scam text.

Hudson Valley Residents Getting Strange “Subscriber List” Texts

Here’s what it said:

Hey Bobby! I was going through our subscriber list and noticed you've been with us for awhile now and haven't ordered anything. I don't want to bother you with our promotions and messages if you don't need them or want them, so if you'd like to stay on this list, please reply with STAY.

It even added that I could reply "STOP to unsubscribe. My Spidey-sense felt something was off.

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The message never says who it’s from. There wasn't a company name or a website. I had no idea what I allegedly signed up for.

What You Need To Know

I did some googling, and my assumptions about a scam were correct. Legitimate companies don't send out vague texts.

Real marketing texts are almost always clearly labeled. You should know who is messaging you.

The text I got left everything open-ended, which is exactly the point. The texter wanted me to respond.

What Happens If You Responded?

If I responded, or if you respond to a similar text, you’re confirming to the scammer your number is active and that you’re willing to engage with random numbers.

You may be wondering why your response is valuable to the scammer. Well, once you respond, your number can be flagged, shared, or even sold to other marketing lists.

This could lead to more texts where you fall for a trick and end up getting scammed. In other words, replying doesn’t solve anything. It likely leads to more texts.

Why These Texts Work

These texts can work because it doesn't appear to be a scam. It's not asking for your credit card number, personal information, etc.

Because the tone of the text appears friendly, it lowers your guard and makes you more likely to respond. The goal is to identify real people behind real phone numbers.

If you get a text like this, the best move is simple: don't respond and block the number.

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