Verizon outage scam hits NJ customers with fake credit texts

🚨 Middlesex County officials warn scammers are exploiting Verizon’s recent outage.

🚨 New scams flood New Jersey residents with fake texts, emails, and calls.

🚨 Xfinity and Verizon customers are being targeted with phishing links.

Authorities in Middlesex County are warning of a recent surge in scams in the wake of Verizon's recent service outage.

Regardless of which service provider they use, New Jersey residents are getting more unsolicited texts, emails, and phone calls, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office. However, the scam is tailored to each intended victim's telecommunications company.

Get our free mobile app

Xfinity phishing scams target New Jersey customers

Two of the new scams target Xfinity customers. They both use phony links that can be used to steal passwords and personal information. If a customer isn't sure that a link may be real, they can call 1-800-934-6489 (1-800-Xfinity) to verify it.

The first scam is an email that claims it's from Xfinity and says that the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy have changed. It directs the intended victim to click a link and threatens that they'll lose access to emails if they don't.

The second scam claims that a user changed their Wi-Fi network name or password. This fake link encourages the customer to click it so they can connect to the network.

In this Sept. 17, 2015, file photo, Comcast trucks are parked in a lot in the company's Westford, Mass. operations center. AP Photo/Tali Arbel, File)

Verizon outage sparks fake $20 credit scam

A major scam has also emerged for Verizon customers. It preys on users who lost service earlier this month during a major outage. ABC News reported that a server failure in New Jersey may have caused the problems.

On Jan. 15, Verizon said that it would offer a $20 account credit to all affected customers. The service provider said it would text customers when they could redeem the credit.

Now, scammers are taking advantage of that promise. Verizon customers have been getting fake texts and emails. The scam messages have links that request login information so customers can get their credits.

What Middlesex County prosecutors say you should do

Officials say that customers should never share personal information, account login information, or account activity. They also recommend blocking any phony phone numbers.

Prosecutors say that if you've received one of these scam texts, you should call your local police department. Scams can also be reported to the Federal Trade Commission (https://reportfraud.ftc.gov) or to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (https://www.ic3.gov.)

Just because there are new scams doesn't mean the familiar ones have gone away. Below are some real examples of phony texts.

Don't get fooled: Here's 25 scam texts I received in just one month

Yes, some of these may be humorous, but some do appear legit and often can fool you.

Spam texts are listed in the same order that they were received.

Gallery Credit: Mike Brant

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom

Ignore these calls, NJ! Area codes you should never pick up

While dodging scam calls can feel a bit like playing “Wack a mole” on the boardwalk, there are some area codes that are giant red flags, as collected by the Better Business Bureau and socialcatfish.com:

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt