ARCHIVES: This is legacy content from before Marketing Dive acquired Mobile Marketer in early 2017. Some information, such as publication dates, may not have migrated over. Check out the new Marketing Dive site for the latest marketing news.

SMS scams cleaning out consumers' bank accounts

State authorities are urging consumers to think twice before providing their mobile number for contest entries or for other marketing purposes.

The public is being warned of text messages that are being sent to consumers claiming their debit or credit card account has been suspended.

Apparently, consumers should be cautious when receiving messages like this because it maybe a scam.

The text messages give a phone number that consumers are supposed to call, where they answer questions regarding their accounts only to find money missing afterwards.

Wisconsin's Brown County had two people that fell for the scam last week.

Authorities are advising consumers to ignore the messages and contact the creditors or banks directly with any worries.

Wisconsin isn't the only state being hit by these types of scams.

A texting scam has hit local residents in North Carolina as well.

In fact, the North Carolina Attorney General's Office is now investigating this issue.

Like the Wisconsin scam, people in North Carolina are receiving messages that request they call a specific phone number about their accounts.

These phishing scams appear as if they are from a legitimate organization and ask for a person's personal financial information.

North Carolina state officials said that thousands of people have reported getting these types of messages.

Additionally, scam artists are sending out text messages trying to get credit card information in the tri-state area as well.

The scam text message targeting New Yorkers asks consumers to call a number because their credit card has been locked.

Anyone who received such messages is asked not to provide any personal information. Victims should call their credit union's call center at 888-732-8562.

Consumers should be suspicious of text messages from a bank that come out of the blue, without the consumer initiating a request.

In fact banks and creditors don't send text messages to report a security breach. Consumers usually get a direct call or something in writing.

To avoid falling victim to text messaging scams consumers should be selective about giving their mobile number out.

Also, consumers have to make sure they know who a communication is from before they respond to a number or a Web address included in a text message.

This could help avoid the download of malicious software and being hooked into a scam.

Consumers who get one or more unsolicited text messages should automatically report the problem to their wireless carrier.