Possible fake sms that gets sent with real ones?

Question

I got sent an SMS telling me an email (that I have no idea if I made) is being replaced for something else (the other email has misspelling so it’s @outlooksl.com, it seems fake but above it is actual SMS codes I’ve had to use. I know spoofing is a thing but since is next to real things I don’t know if it is since some of my accounts recently got compromised

Answer 1

Hi @Maxd

You’re dealing with a situation that’s unfortunately quite common, and your concern is absolutely valid. What’s happening is that two different types of messages are showing up in the same SMS thread:

• Real verification codes sent by your service provider when someone tries to log in.
• Suspicious spoofed messages pretending to be from the same sender, warning you about changes to your account.

The confusion comes from the fact that SMS threads group messages by sender ID. Attackers exploit this by spoofing the sender name so their fake messages appear alongside genuine ones. This makes them look more convincing, but it does not mean they are legitimate. Since you mentioned your accounts were recently compromised, there are two likely scenarios:

• Real login attempts are triggering genuine verification codes.
• Phishing attempts are being sent at the same time to trick you into clicking links or sharing details.

What you should do:

• Ignore suspicious messages, don’t click links or trust them just because they appear in the same thread.
• Check account activity directly through the official website or app, not through SMS links.
• Update your security settings such as change your password, enable two-factor authentication, and review recovery options.

I hope this information is helpful.

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