Common 'smishing' phrases to watch out for

WXIN/WTTV - While email phishing is still one of the primary ways scammers target victims, more con artists are switching to "smishing" through text messages in order to hook their victims.




Scam texts usually start with a phrase intended to get your attention and pique your curiosity.  They are usually meant to seem friendly, or urgent or both.




The Consumer Affairs website recently gathered some examples of the most common phrases used in popular smishing scams and came up with this list:

• "Hi, how's it going?"





• "Hello, I'm Sophia from Bonanz. Your background and resume have been recommended by several online recruitment agencies."





• "Final Reminder: You have an unpaid toll. Failure to remit by will result in additional penalties."





• "I was cleaning out my contacts and found your number. Who are you?"





• "Did you happen to see my message from yesterday?"





• "A pending debit of ($$?) at Target is processed. If you did not initiate it, visit (link)."

The Federal Communications Commission has several tips on how to spot and avoid smishing scams. They include:

• Never click links, reply to text messages or call numbers you don't recognize.





• Do not respond, even if the message requests that you "text STOP" to end messages.





• Delete all suspicious texts.





• Make sure your smart device OS and security apps are updated to the latest version.





• Consider installing anti-malware software on your device for added security.





• Protect any sensitive personal information - bank accounts, health records, social media accounts, etc. - by using multi-factor authentication. 

You can read more about how to avoid and report these scams on the FCC's website.



via: https://fox59.com/news/money-matters/common-smishing-phrases-to-watch-out-for/