Hi guys, Attila here. Do you know anyone who’s been receiving random text messages that claim to be from a bank, Paypal, Venmo, Amazon, Netflix, Fedex, UPS and even the US postal service? These are all from scammers, impersonating reputable organizations to bait victims to clicking a link in the message and entering personal and financial information.
This is called SMISHING and over the past year there have been an explosion of text messaging scams. They’re designed to scare victims to clicking on a link that directs them to a fake website that’s designed look legitimate, tricking unsuspecting visitors into entering personal and sometimes financial information.
The Takeaway
I’ve got 3 tips for you:
1. Don’t click on any links or attachments
I think this should be obvious by now. Just delete the message.
2. Check the message itself
Poor grammar and spelling errors are telltale signs that the message is from a cybercriminal
3. Don’t give out personal information
Companies will never ask you to update your information, especially by text message. If you need to update a credit card number with say Netflix or Disney+, log into your account directly using the app or better yet, use a computer.
Stay safe out there.
PS. I recently was interviewed by Rob Kay, columnist for the Star Advertiser about how scammers are using caller ID spoofing to further their schemes. Check it out!
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