The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has warned Americans about a growing wave of phishing attacks via SMS (Short Message Service) that attempt to steal their personal information and money.
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Such attacks are also known as smishing or robotexts (as the FCC calls them), and the scammers behind them may use various lures to trick you into handing over confidential information.
False but credible scams reported by American consumers to the FCC include claims of unpaid bills , package delivery issues , bank account problems, or law enforcement actions.
Some of the most deceptive and convincing lures used in text message phishing attacks are links that redirect targets to landing pages that impersonate banking websites and ask them to verify a purchase or unlock frozen credit cards.
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Phishing text messages can be forged to appear to be sent by someone you are more likely to trust.
While some attackers will attempt to steal payment details, others are not so selective and will be happy to steal any personal information they can get their hands on, use in subsequent scams , or sell it to other malicious actors.
To defend against SMS phishing attacks, the FCC recommends taking the following measures:
- Do not respond to messages from unknown numbers or others that seem suspicious.
- Never share sensitive personal or financial information via messages.
- Be on the lookout for spelling errors.
- Think twice before clicking on any link in a text message. If a friend sends you a message with a suspicious link that seems out of character, call them to make sure they haven't been hacked.
- If a business sends you a message you weren't expecting, look up their number online and call them.
- Remember that government agencies almost never initiate communication via phone or text message.
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“If you believe you have been the victim of text message fraud, report it immediately to your local law enforcement agency and notify your wireless service provider and financial institutions where you have accounts,” the FCC.
Information source: bleepingcomputer.com
