Spammer pretending to be Verizon, spamming me through Verizon. Wow.

I have cell phone coverage through Verizon. It’s a love-hate relationship with Verizon, sometimes they treat me like I’m just a bill-paying schlub, and there are other times when they barely acknowledge even that.

But yesterday, they sent me a gift through my cell phone.

Well, “Verizon” sent me a gift.

Let me show you the screen shot.

Okay, Internet sleuths … how many red flags can you spot in this screen shot?

1. Verizon suggesting that there’s a gift at that weird hyper-scrambled alphanumeric code, instead of at their very clearly-spelled verizonwireless.com link.
2. Verizon sending this message from a 480 area code. Did I miss where Verizon has a corporate office in Arizona? And for that matter, why would Verizon use a generic phone number when they have specific contacting methods to reach me?
3. Verizon offering me a gift for paying my bill. Is this some sort of “pay twice the amount of your bill on February and you can receive half off your bill in March” promotion?
4. Verizon “sending me a little gift.” Right. Verizon wouldn’t give me any sort of usable gift unless it was plastered with the red check logo, with the hope that I would wear it or use it or stick it somewhere that everybody could see the free advertising I would provide for them. Well, not free, I’m still paying the bills.

Essentially, what I’m saying is … this spambot is not only pretending to be Verizon, they’re using Verizon’s cellular network to spam me. Wow. That’s serious levels of chutzpah.

I should be impressed. But then again, it’s a spammer. Their goal in life is to try to part with my money or my identity, or both.

Besides, the only gift I’d ever want from Verizon is a brand new 5G BlackBerry. But that train has left the station, and it’s not returning.

As for you, little spammer, rest assured that your little scheme has been revealed. We all know of your dirty tactics.

You want to know who else just found out about your dirty tactics? Verizon. The REAL Verizon. I forwarded that little screenshot to phishing@verizon.com, and they’re very interested in contacting you, sunshine.

So as far as I’m concerned, go kick rocks.

Or, in the words of Verizon …

Can you hear me now?