Do You Know Smishing And Scams Through SMS Messages

Last updated December 5th, 2023 23:52

Do you know smishing and scams through SMS messages? Smishing, a combination of “SMS” and “phishing,” is another dangerous form of fraud that mobile phone users should be very careful about. This trick, becoming increasingly common, targets your trust and sensitive information. It can have serious consequences if you become its victim. Let’s take a closer look at the topic of smishing and scams through SMS messages. The more fraudulent techniques in the current online world you are familiar with, the better.

Smishing and scams through SMS messages

Smishing works like this: attackers send fraudulent text messages to their victims’ mobile phones. These messages often pretend to be from legitimate institutions, such as banks, mobile operators, or other well-known companies. Attackers convince users that they have an urgent matter and urge them to click on the link provided in the message or call a specific phone number.

Real-life example

You may encounter a situation where you receive an authorization PIN code on your mobile phone. Shortly afterward, you receive a message on Messenger from a user who has created a fake account on Facebook. This account impersonates your friend’s profile. They ask you to forward them the PIN code because they accidentally entered your phone number. Believing it is really your friend’s account, you forward the PIN code and do not pay further attention to the situation.

But what happened? You have become a victim of smishing. First, the attacker created a fake profile that imitates your friend’s account to confuse you. Then they made a purchase on the internet using a mobile payment method. In mobile payments, you buy goods and then pay for them on your mobile service provider’s invoice. To verify that you are making the purchase, the operator sends a PIN code to your mobile phone. Since you forwarded it to the attacker, they completed the payment, and you will only notice the attack on the invoice your operator sends you at the end of the period.

How can you defend yourself against smishing?

It is essential to understand that your mobile phone often serves as a device for two-factor or multi-factor authentication. In simple terms, service providers send you numerical PINs that serve as a second layer of verification (the first layer being your login and password).

From this, the lesson is that any PIN codes or numerical combinations sent to your phone are strictly private and highly sensitive data! Remember a simple rule: PIN codes should never be sent or forwarded anywhere, even if it seems like a harmless mistake. Be assertive and always politely refuse to send, disclose, or forward any such PIN codes to anyone, even if you believe that the recipient is your friend or acquaintance. An attacker can impersonate a user on Facebook within minutes. Moreover, a sophisticated attack proceeds in a way that the attacker requests to become your friend a few days before the actual attack, claiming to have lost access to the original account. You will have no clue or suspicion that it is a scam.

Smishing and scams through SMS messages

Conclusion

With smishing, it is crucial to follow some simple principles when using your mobile phone. Be cautious and adhere to the rule that PIN codes and numerical combinations should never be shared with anyone. In SMS messages, avoid clicking on suspicious links, especially if the message is from an unknown number. If you identify a message as harmful, delete it immediately from your phone to eliminate the risk of accidentally clicking on the link later. Smishing is once again part of sophisticated social engineering; be prepared for psychological pressure exploiting potential human errors. People generally have a tendency to trust others, and this is also the foundation of this scam.