I received a text message today that looked very official, but it’s a clever trap. Since it’s designed to look like a standard alert, I wanted to share what I see so you don’t get caught by it.
The Message
The text comes from a 5-digit short code (55316) and claims that Experian noticed a “change to your FICO® Score.” It includes a link to “sign in and learn more.”
The Red Flag: expn.pro
The link in the text points to expn.pro.
- The Trick: At a quick glance, “EXPN” looks like Experian, and the
.proextension makes it feel “professional.” - The Reality: This is not an Experian or FICO website. It is a fake login page. If you enter your username and password there, you aren’t logging in—you’re handing your credentials directly to a scammer.
Why it matters
Once a scammer has your credit login, they can see your sensitive personal data or even unfreeze your credit to open fraudulent accounts in your name.
What to do instead
If you get a text like this and you’re worried about your credit score, don’t click the link. Instead, close the text, delete it and go directly to Experian.com or myFICO.com in your browser (or use their official apps). If there is an actual change to your score, you’ll see it there safely. You can also forward the scam text to 7726 (SPAM) to help your cell carrier block the sender.
Stay safe out there people!
While You’re Here
If this helped you out you might find our other security related posts helpful also:
- The AT&T Discount Scam: A look at how the AT&T Discount scams work.
- The “Pepper” Password Method: A look at how we handle our own passwords to make them a lot harder to steal from a password manager or written down in a book.
And if you need a break from the tech stuff, check out some of our favorite camp site reviews.
