My dearest friend sent along a text message yesterday that she had received out of the blue. It read:
Hi [NAME], I hope you’re well. An article is being published on Apple News titled “The Most Trusted Agents in Virginia – 2026” & we shortlisted you as one of the people to be featured. This will feature 10 Trusted Agents, their stories, and listings. You will have 2 separate Full-Page Features as well. Would you be available for a 15min zoom interview? The interview is free but the editorial has an admin fee if you decide to go ahead. If you are not interested in being featured on Apple news, reply “No” to cancel your reserved slot. Thasan K. Noise-PR I
Thrilling, right? It’s always nice to be recognized and, in a slow market, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
The problem? She’s no longer a real estate agent and hasn’t been one for years.
Real estate agents spend their lives communicating on the go via email, text and messaging app, so knowing how to spot a scammer on the fly is a valuable skill. It can keep you from getting fleeced, as in the case of the financial scam this text is running, and it can even keep you alive.
In the case of my friend, it was easy to see that this was a scam, but if you’re an active agent, you may need to slow down and read again when someone reaches out unexpectedly. Here are the five tip-offs that let you know that this text message isn’t legit.
1. Awards and special features don’t often happen via cold text
If you already have a relationship with someone who works at a publication or professional organization, you might expect to receive a text requesting an interview or telling you that you’re being recognized. However, an unexpected text from a media company wouldn’t come from a random third-party and a generic phone number.
2. The text has the classic signs of a pay-to-play scam
The message starts by buttering you up (“Most Trusted Agents,” “shortlisted” and “full-page features”) but then slips in a payment for the privilege in the form of an “admin fee.” Real media companies wouldn’t charge sources or article subjects money to be featured in an article.
In addition, there’s an attempt to add urgency with phrases like “your reserved slot” and “cancel if you’re not interested.” These are designed to push the recipient to respond quickly — before the “opportunity” is lost.
3. Including ‘2026’ is another indicator
The scammer is using the turn of the new year to make the offer feel exclusive and pre-vetted, but reputable organizations don’t give out recognitions before the new year has even started.
4. There’s no publication name, no company and no verifiable affiliation
The message shows that it’s coming from Apple News, which is not a publisher; it’s a news aggregator. There’s a random U.S. toll-free number and not much else — no traceable journalist, publication or company contact information.
5. The pitch is identical to known real estate agent scams
Vanity awards and prize scams come in waves, and the pattern shown in this message has also been seen under names like “top agent magazine,” “[City] Best awards” and others.
While scammers get more sophisticated, especially with the increasing prevalence of AI, you can still defeat them with a little skepticism and a dose of reality. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. If someone you don’t know is reaching out and making a promise without really knowing anything about you, there’s an angle.
Wondering if a message you received is legit? Take a screenshot and upload it to the ChatGPT app on your phone. It does a great job of recognizing when a text bears the hallmark of other known scams.
Be on your guard, and take your time before responding to a random message. Give yourself a minute to do a little digging, so you can protect yourself and your pocketbook.
