Chances are you’re familiar with the next type of phishing attack in our series. It covers those annoying, spammy texts blowing up your phone more and more frequently. They tend to spike during natural disasters or events like the recent outbreak of COVID-19.
Smishing, or SMS-enabled phishing, uses text messaging as a method for delivering malicious links, often in the form of short codes, to ensnare smartphone users in their scams.
Did You Know: SMS open rates hover around 98%. Compare that to around 20% for email, and it’s clear why impatient cyber criminals like smishing.
Spotting a Smishing Attack
Be on the Lookout: Smishing attacks often start something like:
- "CBD has been proven to cause pain relief! Find out more."
- "Changes were recently made to your Verizon account. Log in to configure your settings."
- "You've won a $110 gift card!!! Click the link to redeem."