Identity fraud is an increasingly common problem, with nearly one in 10 smartphone users in the U.K. experiencing it in 2022. Most people are familiar with the threats posed by viruses and malware but may be less familiar with smishing scams. What is smishing, and how can ID Screen help you avoid it?
What Is Smishing, and How Can ID Screen Help You Avoid It?
Smishing is a type of phishing attack. Unlike phishing, which usually relies on emails, identity thieves use text messages to accomplish smishing schemes. It gets its name by combing short message services, which is the technical name for texting, and phishing.
Phishing
Phishing is a type of social engineering exploit. Phishers send people emails that appear to be from a sender that the user trusts, such as a bank. The attacker uses this trust relationship to get the user to perform an action that allows the phisher to access sensitive information, such as logins and passwords. Smishing works the same way, except with text messages.
Types of Attacks
ID Screen can help protect you against two main types of attacks.
Malware
In this type of attack, the smisher includes a URL in a text message that when clicked downloads and installs malicious software on the user’s phone. In some cases, the software may be malware that appears to be a useful app, but in reality, it is collecting sensitive information and transmitting it to the smisher. For example, the app may appear to be a mobile banking app, but when the user types in a username and password, the app sends that information to a cybercriminal who can now use it to access the user’s online banking account.
Malicious Website
With this type of attack, instead of downloading a malicious app, the link sends the user to a fake website that prompts the user to input sensitive information. These sites usually closely resemble legitimate sites.
How Does Smishing Work?
In addition to posing as an individual or organisation that the user trusts, these attacks rely on legitimate seeming contexts and heightened emotions to get users to click malicious links. Attackers design the messages to look like something the user may expect to receive, such as an alert from a bank that has identified suspicious activity on the user’s account. Because having a compromised bank account is concerning, the user is more likely to click the link.
Why Are Smishing Attacks Becoming More Common?
More people are using smartphones for both personal and business use, making them an attractive target for criminals. People often use smartphones when there are distractions that may cause them to be less likely to investigate a suspicious message.
Additionally, many people believe their smartphone is more secure than it is. Users who have learned to be wary of phishing attacks may not be aware of the threat that smishers pose. While some mobile platforms have a good reputation for security, no mobile platform is invulnerable on its own. ID Screen provides an extra layer of protection when an attacker gets past your smartphone’s built-in protection.
How Can You Prevent Smishing?
Learning to distinguish legitimate text messages from scams is one way to protect yourself from an attack. These tips can also help.
Do Not Respond
If you are not sure a message is legitimate, do not respond in any way. Even responding to tell the sender to quit sending you messages can help the attacker by verifying the message reached an active phone number.
Verify the Sender’s Identity
A legitimate bank or merchant will not ask you to provide your login or personal information in text. If you are unsure about a message, contact the merchant or bank the message appears to be from directly, using a customer service or fraud detection number posted on that company’s website.
Never call a phone number or click a link in a suspicious message to attempt to verify who it is. ID Screen subscribers can also contact the ID Screen customer support team for assistance.
Avoid Responding Immediately
Smishing attacks often attempt to create a sense of urgency by alerting the user of a threat or offering a time-limited discount. Avoid the temptation to respond without investigation.
Do Not Click Links or Call Numbers
Unless you are certain the message is from a person or organisation you trust, do not click links or call any phone numbers in it. Instead, look up the organisation’s contact information and contact it directly.
Do Not Store Payment Information on Your Phone
Storing your payment information on your phone is a convenience, but it can be costly. Thieves cannot steal your payment information from your phone if it is not there.
Be Wary of Odd Phone Numbers
Phone numbers that are too short or too long may be a sign of people who are trying to mask their true phone numbers. This is particularly common when attackers use email-to-text services.
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication
Many companies offer users the option to use multi-factor authentication to protect their accounts. This makes it harder for identity thieves to gain access because simply stealing your login information will not be enough.
Become an ID Screen Subscriber
Smishing scams keep getting more sophisticated. Even the most vigilant smartphone users can fall for scams. ID Screen provides you with additional protection to keep your information safe.
How Does ID Screen Protect You From Smishing Attacks?
ID screen continuously monitors your information to ensure you stay safe online. The early warning system provides you with real-time alerts whenever your personal information is at risk.
The ID Screen customer support team is ready to walk you through restoring compromised accounts after an attack and assist you with any other identity concerns you have. ID Screen also provides dark web internet surveillance that searches through thousands of websites and millions of data points to discover whether your information is on the dark web.
With an ID Screen subscription, you can protect 10 email addresses, bank accounts, credit cards, and debit cards from smishing threats. Sign up online to get protected today.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/more-than-5-5-million-adults-in-the-uk-fell-victim-to-identity-fraud-in-the-last-12-months-301496787.html
https://usa.kaspersky.com/resource-center/threats/what-is-smishing-and-how-to-defend-against-it
https://www.malwarebytes.com/what-is-smishing
https://id-screen.com/
