Understanding Smishing: Hackers and con artists are doing everything they can to trick regular people and steal their money and personal information. One type of scam that con artists often use is called “Smishing.”
Cybercrime is on the rise because technology is changing and we are becoming more dependent on it. Hackers and con artists are doing everything they can to trick regular people and steal their money and personal information. One type of scam that con artists often use is called “Smishing.”
Understanding Smishing
Cybercriminals smish people by sending them fake text messages on their phones to trick them. The person who gets the text message doesn’t know that it was sent with bad intentions, so they download malware, give out private information, or send money to cybercriminals. “SMS,” which stands for “short message service,” is the technology behind text messages. “Smishing,” on the other hand, is the act of scamming people.
Smishing has become more well-known in recent years for a number of reasons. Criminals who use this method, which is also known as “smishing,” know that people will almost certainly click on text messages instead of other links. The same time, better spam filters have made it harder for other types of phishing, like phone calls and texts, to reach their targets.
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How does it do its job?
Criminals usually pretend to be a real business or organization, like a bank, service provider, or well-known company. The scammer sends a text message that makes you feel like you need to act quickly. The target either gets malware on their phone or is sent a link to a fake website that looks like the real website of a business. The victim is tricked into giving up personal information once they get to that page.
How can I stay away from smishing scams?
- Make sure you always remember that banks and other financial institutions will never text you asking for your passwords or to send money.
- If someone puts malware on your phone, they can get to your banking information. So, never save it there.
- Never click on the link or download anything in a text message that you didn’t expect or that seems sketchy.
- Texting personal, private, or financial information is never a good idea unless you started the conversation and are sure the other person is who they say they are.
- Always ignore texts you didn’t ask for that ask for personal information or tell you to act right away.
- It is better to protect your phone with reliable security software and make sure that all of your devices have the most recent changes and patches.
- Don’t answer a smishing text, even if there is a way to “opt out” of getting more texts. The scammer will know that your phone is working if you answer.
