Racist text messages targeting Black people received in Omaha, nationwide

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Atoch Akuen, like many 19-year-olds, uses her cell phone to scroll on social media and talk with friends.

On Wednesday night, a text message from a random number left her scared and on edge.

"I read it and I was just in shock. I froze. I didn't know what to do," she told 6 News.

Some of the text messages seeming to target Black people across the country were reported to be personalized.

Akuen's was not.

"My co-worker, after she saw the message she put the number on Cash App and we tried to see who could the number belong to, which it didn't show. We tried to call the number, the number did not go through,' Akuen said.

Douglas Wesselmann told 6 News his granddaughter who is also 19, received a similar text.

"My granddaughter... is Asian and Black. Of mixed race and a very proud young lady. But was quite upset by that," Wesselmann said.

"How did they get all the information to only be Black students and Black people to get that message? There should not be a way that they can be able to do that," Akuen said.

But what's not mysterious to Wesselmann is the existence of racism.

"It makes me sad and it makes me angry. And, you know, we can be so much better than this," he said.

The FBI said they are aware of these text messages and are in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities.

Anyone who receives one of these messages is advised to report it to local law enforcement. People can also report spam messages to the Federal Trade Commission .