Beware of…..”Smishing” Scams!
If only it were that obvious!
One nice thing about working for a big, state-of-the-art, cutting edge multi-media company like Townsquare Media, is that they have really smart people looking out for us where the latest scams are concerned. One of the latest: Smishing. Here's the scoop from Smart Guy "Mike" from Corporate.
Hackers are increasingly targeting you through your smartphone. They send texts that trick you into doing something against your own best interests. At the moment, there is a mystery shopping scam going on, starting out with a text invitation, asking you to send an email for more info which then gets you roped into the scam.
A short video published by USA Today tells you what to watch out for:
- "Smishing" is a lot like phishing, but these scams go right to your cellphone.
- Criminals send fraudulent texts that look official, like they're from your internet provider, bank, or even the IRS.
Mike says, "Always, when you get a text, remember to think before you reply, because more and more, texts are being used for identity theft, bank account take-overs and to pressure you into giving out personal or company confidential information".
Don't give out passwords, user names, or credit card numbers. Mobile shop with reputable vendors. And just delete suspicious texts.