What is Smishing?

Smishing (or SMS phishing) is a type of cybercrime where scammers use SMS messages to trick people into revealing personal or financial information. These messages can look very convincing, often appearing to be from legitimate sources.

How is Smishing Different from Phishing?

Both smishing and phishing are ways for scammers to steal your information, but they use different methods. Phishing involves emails, while smishing uses SMS messages. Knowing the difference can help you stay safe online.

Smishing is a type of scam where criminals send fake text messages to your phone. They try to trick you into giving them your personal information or clicking on dangerous links that can infect your phone with harmful software.

Phishing is a similar scam, but it uses emails instead of text messages. Scammers send fake emails pretending to be from trusted sources. These emails often have links or attachments that can trick you into giving away your personal information. Such as, login credentials or credit card numbers

How to spot an SMS phishing attempt?

Unsolicited messages: Be cautious of unexpected messages from unknown numbers or organizations, especially those claiming to be from your bank, government agency, or a company you have not interacted with before.

Urgent Language: Phishing messages often create a sense of panic or urgency to pressure you into quick action. Messages may claim there is a problem with your account, a suspicious transaction, or that immediate action is required to avoid a penalty.

Request for Personal Information: Be cautious if a text message asks for sensitive information like passwords, social security numbers, credit card details, or One-Time-Password (OTP). Legitimate companies will not never request this

Suspicious Links: SMS phishing messages often contain harmful links. Verify their legitimacy before clicking, especially if the message seems suspicious.

How to avoid SMS phishing attacks?

Do not respond to the message or click on any links if you do not recognize the sender, or were not expecting the message.

Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on your bank accounts for added protection and register your devices with your bank to enhance security.

Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited text messages. Instead, type the URL directly into your browser.

Ensure your mobile device’s operating system and apps are always up-to-date with the latest security patches. Report suspicious activities to our contact center and change passwords immediately if you suspect a phishing attempt.