Don’t take the bait! Smishing is the most common mobile-based phishing. Slow down and think before you click! Smishing has become a big problem; according to the FBI, it is only getting worse. The average person gets over 19 spam texts per month. While not all spam texts are smishing, the sheer volume of messages received increases your chance of falling victim. This makes it even more important to slow down, evaluate, and think before you click!

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Most reported smishing attempts:

  • Spoofed text from a legitimate company regarding a billing issue.
  • An unprompted text telling you to “Reset Your Password.”
  • A random text message with an attachment claiming you have money from your latest tax return.
  • Account cancelation notifications pending the confirmation of personal details.
  • Fake forms, surveys, and invoices.
  • Free giveaways and coupons for expensive goods and services.
  • An unexpected text from someone higher up in your organization requesting you purchase gift cards or wire money to another organization.

Red Flags:

  • Grammatical and spelling errors.
  • There is urgency attempting to rush you into taking action NOW.
  • Personal information requests from banks/the government.
  • Unprompted requests to click a link to complete a transaction.
  • The request or message is unexpected or too good to be true.
  • The behavior or request is out of the ordinary for the sender.
  • You don’t recognize the number, even though the sender is supposedly in your contact list.
  • Payment requests force you to pay using non-standard methods such as Bitcoin or gift cards.

Pro-Tip:

If you receive a message that causes alarm or seems fishy, contact the organization directly. Do not use the phone number or link provided in the message.