Strange text from Three Mobile (supposedly)

Tony EH

So earlier today I got this message texted to me from this number (+353851418684)...

Three Ireland:

Your Mobile SIM Contract(s) will be disabled, due to failure to accept our new Terms of Service. Log on: https://threeterms-ie.com/ to accept.

I haven't clicked onto that site as I'm not sure if it's a scam or not, so don't click it either. I've been on a 3 pay-as-you-go phone with the same number for over 15 years (it used to be O2) and I usually only top up by 10 Euro every month or two using this page https://mytopup.three.ie/unregistered and this is the first time I've ever heard of a SIM getting disabled.

Anyone else gotten these messages?

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058321075/strange-text-from-three-mobile-supposedly

How long is it since you last topped up?

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121325118#Comment_121325118

Topped up in October and just today.

spakman

Doesn't look like a valid URL.

Spear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058321075/strange-text-from-three-mobile-supposedly

It's a fairly obvious scam.

Pat Dunne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058321075/strange-text-from-three-mobile-supposedly

Scam link!

The composition of the address and .com domain, are the instant give away.

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121325123#Comment_121325123

That's what I thought at first, but Three Mobile have been introducing new plans during the year, so I was kinda unsure. Can't imagine they'd just nuke a SIM though. Still, I can't say I'm an expert on mobile phone companies and their ways.

Mr.Crinklewood

Domain registered 8 days ago....in The Netherlands

https://www.urlvoid.com/scan/threeterms-ie.com/

briancannon18

It's a scam, got the same and I'm on vodafone,

banie01

Three Ireland won't be sending texts via an 085 number. It's a scam OP.

Tony EH

Ok, Cheers lads.

I'll ignore that so.

Spear

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121325140#Comment_121325140

It's nothing to do with a phone company being the target. It has all the standard tactics of a scam, such as the attempt to force urgency, and the biggest giveaway is simply that's not a Three domain name and was only registered a few days ago:

https://who.is/whois/threeterms-ie.com

JVince

Scam without any doubt and instantly obvious.

Firstly three would not use an 085 (meteor/eir) number

Secondly the domain is just ridiculous.

Delete and forget.

thebaz

it seams any txt/message with a link is a scam now - I dont even click links from friends

b.e.s.s.

OK it's a scam. But what yo do of already pressed the link? It opened tree lookalike site promting to log in, but i didn't enter any info. I think I'm screwed 😱

JVince

Once you have not entered any information you are fine.

DopeTech

Three will never text you like this, especially from an 085 number… If it looks wrong then it probably is.

Magzire

Well course of my mother fell for this one, whats the worst can they do with your eir account?

The Flagman

I just got this message today. Identical to yours. Didn't click or won't. These days there are too many scams . Eir should have better more secure ways of contacting loyal customers

Glaceon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121704196#Comment_121704196

They could start with preventing foreign networks from spoofing Irish mobile numbers. My wife fell for one of these yesterday, albeit a DHL one. She had only had her card replaced the day before after presumably doing it a previous time!

fritzelly

Get one of these nearly every day for eir (amongst other companies), sometimes twice in a day

Definitely a scam.

I also suggest that people don’t refer to scams as being “obvious” as it may infringe people asking in future if they’re unsure for fear of being seen as silly or gullible.

There’s no such thing as totally obvious scam to everyone, some have pretty common hallmarks and similarities though.

In this case OP

The number is an 085 (eir) number.

the domain isn’t even a three domain. And as spear mentioned was only recently registered.

Three or any other company (legitimate anyway) will never send you a text with a link to click to accept vital T&C’s. Basically the clear urgency of the matter lends to it being a scam.

As always if you are unsure contact the relevant company and ask.

Tony EH

Gas. I keep getting these messages now. 3 more this week. The web link is slightly different this time https://three-online-service.com/

They're persistent, I'll give them that.

its_steve116

Happened to me just there.

nomdeboardie

Feck - can't believe I fell for this just now 😖 - was (not in bed but) half asleep and didn't want to lose access to contacts on phone. Could have been worse, as I was so irritated at having to enter info on phone rather than laptop that I went there to log in online instead before I had entered credit card number, but had entered name, address, phone number (thinking things increasingly odd). Only then I thought also to enter the url on laptop browser, realising it was indeed improbable as a legit address, and this thread was the second hit! Gaah - will have to at least change my pw now 😩

ETA: URL was 3ebills-termservices, and it turns out I used that just now but with an extra 's' after terms. Still surprised Google picked up this thread, as the variants listed share parts of the string but aren't very close

smuggler.ie

Stick - two ends.

Posting dodgy URL's here not only raise awareness, but also promotes this scam, someone might click into it.
At least remove link/make not clickable.

nomdeboardie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122152431#Comment_122152431

I don't know if this was directed at me, but I don't understand the first line (and my string is not clickable)

smuggler.ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122152483#Comment_122152483

Not directed to you in particular, but should make sense to all posters.
"stick has two ends" - has inadvertent effect as well - you done "them" a favor by advertising and it will show up on G search

nomdeboardie

Maybe, I can't judge the ramifications, though I found the mentions helpful in alerting me fully in my wake-up from my sleepwalk into the scam

Fartman666

I just got a similar text this morning, which isn't new I've gotten similar from "banks" (usually ones I'm not a member of lol) BUT mine is coming from the THREE shortcode thing. As in if I scroll up past the obvious scam text with an insanely suspicious link I can see legit texts saying thanks for topping up and my balance is low and all that stuff going back years, so somehow they've now made it look like it's coming from the actual three company instead of some random number. They're evolving lol

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122466608#Comment_122466608

Spoofing the source number is relatively easy.

Fartman666

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122466682#Comment_122466682

Water is relatively wet. I know they can spoof numbers but I hadn't heard anything about them spoofing the official short code yet. I'm just saying they've evolved from using any old phone number that instantly sets off alarm bells to now being able to have their messages show up in a way that looks almost legit

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122467419#Comment_122467419

Well done on your keen observation skillsl.

TheRiverman

Definite scam. I've got that one among others. I delete them immedeately after receivng them.