Verizon's $20 outage payout has scammers working overtime

Verizon’s outage last week left many subscribers unable to connect to the network for many hours. This not only impacted personal communication, but also left people like gig workers high and dry. Verizon announced that users would receive $20 in credits per account, and while some people have had success requesting higher amounts, scammers are now cashing in on the opportunity by baiting users with promises of credit.

Georgia’s Jones County Sheriff’s Office is warning citizens to be extra cautious if they receive a text or email claiming to be from Verizon offering a credit for their account, especially if there’s a link in the message. There’s allegedly a scam going around that lures people with promises of Verizon credit, steals their personal info and account details, and potentially infects devices with malware.

It seems scammers got the perfect opportunity, as Verizon is indeed rolling out account credits to users. Several users have mentioned in the comments that they received a message from Verizon that redirected them to Verizon’s real website. However, the nature of such scams is that these sites often mimic links and website appearances, so most people wouldn’t be able to tell a fake website from a real one. It’s best to stay cautious and avoid clicking on links in messages.

As the Sheriff’s Office advises, users should open the Verizon app or website directly, or call Verizon customer support, rather than be redirected via links in texts and emails. Verizon’s contact details are available on their website; you can either chat there or call them.