Brightspeed scams: how to spot a fake agent call, text or email
Quick answer
Brightspeed says scammers pose as its agents and ask for personal or financial details. Brightspeed will never ask for your password, bank account or Social Security number by call, text or email. Hang up and contact Brightspeed yourself.
- Comes by
- Phone call, Text, Email
- Pretends to be
- Brightspeed
- Last updated
How it works
Scammers pretend to be Brightspeed agents. Brightspeed, the internet provider, is the impersonated company, not the scammer. It says it has received complaints about callers posing as its agents and asking for financial or personal information.
Callers may use spoofing so that caller ID looks like a real company. The call, text or email is built to sound routine: a billing problem, an account update, a service issue. Then comes the ask for payment details, a login or personal information.
Brightspeed says it will never ask you for your password, bank account or Social Security number in an email, text or call. It also says real email comes from a brightspeed.com address and never asks you to reply with personal information.
Red flags
- An unexpected call, text or email from "Brightspeed" asking for personal or financial details
- A request for your password, bank account or Social Security number
- Caller ID that looks right: it can be spoofed
- An email that isn't from a brightspeed.com address
- An email asking you to reply with personal information
- Pressure to pay or act right away
Example message
This is Brightspeed billing. Your account is past due and service will be cut off today. To avoid disconnection, confirm your card details with me now or visit [link].
What to do
- 1
Don't give details
Hang up, or don't reply to the text or email.
- 2
Contact Brightspeed yourself
Brightspeed says to call it directly or use its chat, not call back the number that contacted you. Use the number on your bill or its website.
- 3
If you gave card or bank details, call your bank
Tell them it was fraud and ask to replace the card or stop payments.
- 4
If you gave a password, change it
Change the password on your Brightspeed account and anywhere you reuse it. Our guide on what to do after a data breach covers the steps.
- 5
Report it
Tell Brightspeed's customer service and report it to the FTC.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
A caller who knows your name, address or that you're a Brightspeed customer sounds real. Scammers pull that kind of detail from people-search sites and breach data. Serus finds the data brokers that list you and removes your listings, and alerts you when your details show up in a breach, so fewer scammers can build a convincing script.
Frequently asked
Will Brightspeed ask for my password or Social Security number?
No. Brightspeed says it will never ask for these by email, text or phone.
When might Brightspeed ask for payment?
Brightspeed says an agent may ask for payment in limited cases, such as when you're making a late payment. Be cautious of any unexpected caller.
The caller ID showed Brightspeed. Is it real?
Brightspeed warns that spoofing can make caller ID look legitimate. Hang up and contact the company yourself.
How do I report one?
Tell Brightspeed through its customer service and report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Sources
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
