"Your parcel has been sent. Please check and accept it...": Many people in the Steinfurt district have already received messages like this or similar ones via text message on their smartphone. A link is then displayed which the recipient is asked to click on. The police warn: Under no circumstances should you click on the link displayed in the text message! Because such a message could be a scam text message.

Whoever clicks on the link downloads malware onto their cell phone. Fraudsters then have access to the cell phone data. The district police have recently received numerous reports relating to this scam. It seems to be spreading rapidly at the moment. In some cases, victims have received several fake text messages.

Have you received one of these text messages?

- Do not tap on the link under any circumstances!

- Delete the message!

- If your phone asks if you want to install an app, do not confirm under any circumstances!

- Set up a third-party block via your mobile phone provider!

You have already installed the app?

- Switch your phone to flight mode so that it cannot receive any commands from outside and cannot send any text messages.

- Inform your mobile phone provider about the problem. Ask if any costs have already been incurred.

- Have a third-party provider block set up.

- Report the incident to the police.

- Back up all your data, pictures, videos and settings.

- You should then reset your smartphone to the factory settings. This will delete all apps and data that were not present when you purchased the phone.