AARP Hawaii warned residents Tuesday of scammers using text messages to steal money.

The scam is called “smishing,” or SMiShing, named after Short Message Service, the technology that enables text messaging.

“The texts look like error messages and contain links. One message asks you to click on a link. Experts warn not to click on links in messages like this,” AARP said in a news release.

AARP fraud expert Sid Kirchheimer offered these tips:

>> Don’t reply to text messages from senders you don’t recognize. Even sending a “remove,” “stop” or “opt-out” response tells SMS senders that your mobile number is active and ripe for more messages. Be especially wary of texts from a 5000 or other shortened number (versus a complete 10-digit phone number), indicating the message is actually an email sent to a phone.

>> Never reply to text messages asking you to confirm or provide personal or financial information. Legitimate companies don’t text requests for account numbers, login details and other sensitive data. Government agencies don’t correspond by text (and are unlikely to even have your mobile phone number).

>> Slow down. Most people instinctively deal with text messages ASAP, and smishing scams work best when creating a false sense of urgency. Rather than call back numbers provided in text messages (doing so is another tip-off of your working cell number), take a few minutes to verify the actual contact numbers of legitimate businesses that might need to contact you.

>> Be stingy with your cellphone number. Don’t post it online or on social media, or provide it for contests, surveys, touted “deals” or “free trials.”

AARP is helping to sponsor “Scam Jam” events on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii island next month to inform residents about scams and how to avoid them.

Some of the locations, dates and times are listed below:

Aug. 9

Waipahu

9 to 11:30 a.m.

Hawaii Okinawa Center

94-587 Ukee St.

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Wailuku

5 to 7:30 p.m.

J. Walter Cameron Center Auditorium

95 Mahalani St.

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Aug. 10

Kapaa, Kauai

9:30 a.m. to noon

Courtyard Marriott Kauai at Coconut Beach

Paddle Room

650 Aleka Loop

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Aug. 11

Honolulu

9:30 a.m. to noon

Japanese Cultural Center

Manoa Grand Ballroom

2454 S. Beretania St.