Authorities are warning the community about a phishing scam in which cybercriminals send a text message with a malicious link to an intended victim's phone to try and obtain personal data.
The text message may contain language that makes the targeted victim believe they have a package pending or waiting for them in an attempt to get them to click on the link and share personal information.
These cybercriminals "can steal your identity, empty your bank account, or install malware in your phone," the Orange County Sheriff's Department said in a Facebook post.
The best course of action, authorities say, is to ignore the message -- do not click on any suspicious links and don't provide personally-identifying information.
The Sheriff's Department also suggests blocking the number where the text message came from.
On Aug. 24, the Richland, Washington Police Department also published a post on their Facebook page warning the public about the scam and to not give out personal information.
Elderly people are more susceptible to these types of crimes, according to the Sheriff's Department who encourage everyone to look out after each other by sharing this information with those most vulnerable so these cybercriminals don't succeed.
