On Saturday, who knows how many Senior Americans got a text message from a "Larry Little" at the prestigious law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, informing them that their personal information (probably Social Security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, who knows what).
Yes, Pillsbury Winthrop is a real law firm (dating back to the California Gold Rush and scored the first patent for a dotcom).
But, no, this isn't them. It's a classic textbook scam. Several red flags:
- Real law firms don't text you cold from random 10-digit numbers
- Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman is a real firm, but scammers routinely impersonate legitimate organizations to add credibility
- "Larry Little" is a football player (Chargers, Dolphins), not an attorney.
- The ask — reply with your full name and "financial total you were defrauded of" — is a data harvesting opener. Once you reply, they'll pivot to extracting money or more personal info
- The premise makes no sense. Actual cyber incident notifications come via certified mail or through official firm channels, not SMS texts
Senior AI Trick #1: How to Verify a Email From a Major Brand and Prevent a Scam
Included: the 30-second, 2-step method that can save you from being fleeced
Gary P Guthrie
If you get one of these messages
Do not reply. Block the number.
Please pass this on: post this on Facebook, tell the world, forward to your friends.
Stay safe. Over and out.
