This threat’s name may sound funny, but it is very serious. Smishing is similar to a “phishing” scam that you may get on your computer, but it is sent via text messages. Smishing is short for “SMS phishing.”
The scammer may pretend to be your bank, your Internet Service Provider (ISP), or even a political organization. It could even be your favorite store. What they have in common is that they are trying to get important private information from you.
Stephen Cobb, a security researcher at ESET, a global cybersecurity company, says:
“Criminals like smishing because users tend to trust text messages, as opposed to email, of which many people are more suspicious, due to phishing attacks.”
“As smartphones are the primary means of accessing the Internet in some countries, this has tempted criminals around the world to invest in scams that target these devices.”
“That means there is no shortage of skills in this space, skills that criminals can tap to target cell phone users in any country they chose.”
Norton defines smishing as:
“Put simply, smishing is any kind of phishing that involves a text message. Often times, this form of phishing involves a text message in an SMS or a phone number. Smishing is particularly scary because sometimes people tend to be more inclined to trust a text message than an email. Most people are aware of the security risks involved with clicking on links in emails. This is less true when it comes to text messages.”
What Do These Messages Look Like?
Smishing messages may come in many forms. They may pretend to be your bank and ask you to send your PIN number, which most banks won’t do. It may look something like:
“Dear customer, Bank of America needs you to verify your PIN number immediately to confirm you’re the proper account holder. Some accounts have been breached. We urgently ask you to protect yourself by confirming your info here.”
Sometimes they may pretend to be the IRS asking for tax return information. Also, the IRS doesn’t text you. The message may look like:
“IRS Notice: Tax Return File Overdue! Click here to enter your information to prevent being prosecuted.”
Scammers always come up with new ways to try to cheat you out of your information in an effort to get rich quick off of your own money. Smishing is one of the more clever ways scammers have found to do just that. By taking on the persona of an entity you trust, you are much more likely to click the links and give up your info.
Don’t be a victim. Learn more about how to spot smishing messages – check out this video (after the jump):
Featured image via YouTube screenshot.
