COLUMBUS, Ga. –
News 3 is investigating a potential phishing scam after hundred of viewers reported all receiving the same series of text messages Friday.
Many viewers said on Facebook they received the messages some point over the extended holiday weekend. All of the messages made some reference to US Direct Express program, a legitimate debit card program run by the United States Treasury. The text messages asked for the users to call a given number, most a 646-area code.
News 3 was unable to reach anyone at the US Direct Express program Friday. A call to the United States Treasury Friday was not immediately returned. A supervisor with a third-party company who does enrollment for US Direct Express said to simply ignore the message and not to reply.
A message immediately greeting visitors to the US Direct Express Web site warns of such scams. The message reads in part: “Direct Express® will never contact you by phone, email, or text message to ask you for your card number, PIN or security code.”
News 3’s Naomi Keitt and James Brierton are continuing to look into the situation and will have updates on WRBL.com and News 3 as news warrants over the weekend.
If you received one of these messages, feel free to comment below or join the conversation on Facebook.