RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) – Just days after the election, the FBI is investigating a spate of racist text message scams sent to the black community in the United States.

Disturbing messages tell people that they have been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation.

“First of all, they are absolutely disgusting. They are targeting a number of people in the country right now when there is already a high level of post-election anxiety,” said Alex Nette, CEO of Beehive systemsa cyber security company in Richmond.

Each message is target specific. I usually start by calling the person by name, giving them time to meet with “executive slaves” in a colorful van, and assigning them a group letter.

Scammers can contact these people using information that is already available online.

“A lot of this information has not only been stolen, but sometimes it’s even available through public records,” Nette said. “That information can, of course, be used against you, so that’s why we often encourage people when you’re working online and receiving text messages to always be cautious with an unknown message from an unknown person.”

While he said this situation is most likely meant to incite fear, scammers often try to obtain banking information.

He says artificial intelligence is making these messages seem more real and more people are falling for them.

“They can take advantage of AI to proofread those emails and even change the format, swapping information between individual text messages or emails to personalize them for you or make them all look different,” Nette said .

Things to ask yourself when you get these messages:

• Why am I getting this?
• Do I know this person?
• Do they ask for money?
• Are the scammers telling you it’s urgent and action needs to be taken immediately?

If they do, Nette said, delete it.

“Stop interacting with them, even if you say, ‘I know who you are, hacker, scammer.’ Don’t do it because they know your email and phone number are real, and that opens up new opportunities for them in the future,” he said.

The Trump campaign said they had nothing to do with the messages.

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