Nicole Bender was wary when she got a text saying someone complimented her.
Bender, a 19-year-old UF biology sophomore, had seen rumors on Facebook that the texts were linked to human trafficking.
“Someone complimented you! See more on IRL,” the text read, followed by links for iPhone and Android apps.
While the texts might be annoying, they aren’t a front for human trafficking rings.
The texts are sent out by IRL, an app that stands for “in real life,” an IRL spokesperson wrote in an email. The company confirmed that the human trafficking rumors are false. The only way to receive a text is if a friend with your contact information sent you a compliment, added you as a friend or sent you an invite through the app. Users can request to reveal the name of their nominator if they download the app.
“IRL is designed to allow communications only between people who know each other,” the spokesperson said.
The purpose of the app is to encourage people get together in real life, which is important because people are spending more time with their screens than with their friends and family, the spokesperson said.
“We designed the app so that it takes away the anxiety and social pressure of inviting acquaintances and friends to hang out, and it boosts our users’ self-confidence,” the spokesperson said.
Sergeant Tim Peck, of the UF Police Department Community Services Division, said the department hasn’t received any reports about the “compliment” texts. Peck discourages students from opening links from unknown senders, as they’ve been linked to phishing scams, which are used to collect personal data.
“Never follow a link if you don’t know the sender,” he said. “Similar text messages have posed serious problems for students in the past.”
IRL has not received any reports of sex traffickers on the app or targeting its users. The company believes people are spreading the rumors for the purpose of gaining popularity, the spokesperson said.
Bender isn’t sure how the company got her number, but she didn’t click on the link just to be safe, she said
“I’m a little concerned, but there’s nothing I can do about it,” she said.
