We need to come up with a word for “scams that arrive via text message, but are not phishing attacks, which already has a word (SMiShing).”

Crooxting? Because they’re crooks, and they’re texting you. Something tells me this is going to be an uphill endeavor. Sort of like trying to make ‘fetch’ happen.

Anyway, this showed up on my phone the other day, in two parts:

FRM:ci2 h5j8
MSG:Bestbuys giving away
Leftover Cyber-Monday
$1000 giftcards at:
goo.gl/6u2nQ?QQHEJ go
claim yours

ci2 is texting
you for free using Textie
app. You can reply or text
‘stop’ to block, Get Textie
free in the iPhone App
Store.

I’ll give you a shiny new penny* if you can find five things that DON’T scream “absolute scam” about this, because I sure couldn’t.

I also won’t be texting ‘stop’ to anyone, either; I don’t want to confirm that mine was a genuine phone number.

If you get one of these, just delete it.

*Disclaimer: Not a genuine offer. I don’t have a shiny new penny. Which is making this Penny Racer totally unfun to play with, by the way. No wheelie action at all.