“When are you free for coffee?” Long lost friend or a scammer trying to get you to respond? (2024)

I usually like the consumer alerts from the FTC but this doesn't seem like a scam report to me. It seems more like an attempt to push out an article and a potential hypothetical text message contact scam that hasn't actually happened to anyone.

I've received scam text messages much like the one the FTC is outlining for everyone. These fishing attempts are unfortunately, very very real.

Thank you for being vigilant in looking after the public interest. I appreciate your messages very much.

Thank you!

Something similar happened to me. Fortunately, I stopped and thought about it a minute and realized--since I didn't know the number of the sender--it was likely a scam. I deleted and blocked the number.
Thanks for the reminder to stop and think a moment before automatically responding to any text that shows up.

Uhhh yes..this scam has been going on for awhile. I get them but usually thy are diverted to spam. I never answer. But there have been those trapped by this seemingly innocuous message and it didn't end well in most cases.

I know it's a scam. I never respond; just delete it then BLOCK that number.

Have received some of these my self.

Thanks for the concern

Got one of these and it even included my name, said it was my niece wanting to get together, but the number was not my nieces so I called her, and she did not send it. I am still clueless not only how they got my name, but the nick name my niece uses for me. I did select the delete and report feature, but will be using the SPAM report option going forward as well.

I have been scammed by a company worldwide express Company saying I have a package from Afghanistan $171,000 I spent trying to clear it up. A military love Scam

I do not say Hello. Hello switches their phone on. I wait about six seconds and say, bon jour. the line goes dead. If it is a legitimate call they will say something. Other times I say guten tag. That works. I have used Bitte Sie Nacht den ton sprachen.
One outfit switched me to a "lawyer" to talk about getting compensation for an accident. I replied, Oh yes, the deer I hit ran into the woods. I don't have insurance and I doubt that the deer does either. He hung up and I haven't got any more calls from them.

Great advice. Getting so many scam/fraud texts and emails that I am vary of emails from my banks! I use an alternate contact number to my financial institution. It's insane with messages coming what seems a local number, then actually can be from anywhere in the world.

I always find your information useful. As consumers we always need to be vigilant with our information.

This FTC alert is very timely. I received a text yesterday asking if I was free to do lunch.

If I don't know that person I don't respond.

yes this is real. I got an email telling me my costco membership had expired and costco would renew it for free if I wanted to respond. I was expecting a renewal notice from costco and responded. Dumb dumb was me and my bank called about a charge which I didn't make and so locked account. another charge is pending along with the first charge. The Costco web page looked exacly like the one you get when you log into Costco. They copied it exactly. They target old people and I wonder how they knew my account with costco membership had expired..Costco must sell our info.

I receive a message and been getting cal pretending to be the cable company and another Cals pretending to be from human resources department asking social security dob