Scam of the Week: Smishing Gains Popularity with Bad Guys

Many services, from grocery pickup to credit score updates, offer notifications via text messages or short message service (SMS). Typically, these notifications are short, vague, and include a link—which makes them great for spoofing! Bad guys use fake notification messages for SMS Phishing, or Smishing attacks.

In a recent smishing attack, the bad guys spoof shipping companies and send multiple fake text message notifications. The text messages state that you have an urgent notification regarding the delivery of a package. Each notification includes a link for more information. Clicking this link takes you to a phony Google login page that is designed to steal any information you enter.

It can be tricky to spot smishing attacks, but like a traditional phishing attack, there are steps you can take to keep your information safe. Follow these tips:

• Think before you click. Were you expecting this message? When did you give this company your phone number? Did you sign up for text notifications?
• Be cautious of a sense of urgency. The bad guys send multiple texts and use words like “urgent” to try and trick you into impulsively clicking a malicious link.
• Never trust a link in a text message that you were not expecting. If you think the notification could be legitimate, contact the company another way, such as by visiting their official website.

Stop, Look, and Think. Don’t be fooled.
The KnowBe4 Security Team
KnowBe4.com