What is Smishing?
Smishing is a type of cyberattack that uses SMS (Short Message Service) text messages to trick people into revealing personal or sensitive information. Typically the threat actor will attempt to deceive you through Social Engineering tactics into buying Gift Cards.
The word “smishing” is a combination of:
- SMS (text messaging)
- Phishing (fraudulent attempts to obtain sensitive data
How it works
A typical smishing message might:
- Pretend to be from your bank, delivery service, or a colleague
- Urge you to click a link or call a number
- Claim there's a problem with your account, indicate that you've won a prize, or request assistance out of normal communication methods
- Ask you to confirm your identity, enter a code, or download an app
Example of a Smishing Text
What You Can Do
You should never interact with these spam messages. There are several ways you can combat spam text messages.
Cellular SPAM
• Report the message to your phone carrier. Contact your specific cell phone carrier for specific reporting instructions.
• Report it in your messaging app. Look for the option to report junk or spam.
Zoom SPAM
If you have a Zoom Phone license within Patriot's Zoom platform, the following can be done:
• Block the number. Right-click the number and select Block Number
• Report smishing to Zoom at https://zoom.us/trust-form.
What We Are Doing
We have added a new catalog item to our service catalog that allows you to request SMS (text messaging) to be disabled on your Patriot-licensed Zoom phone.
If you do not use SMS within Zoom, this option is for you. If you do use SMS within Zoom, please refer to the options above for blocking or reporting spam texts.
You can submit a request to disable your Zoom account’s SMS functionality here: ZOOM Phone - Disable SMS (text message) capabilities: Patriot Growth Insurance Services.
More Information
More information on smishing can be found on the FTC’s website:
How to Recognize and Report Spam Text Messages | Consumer Advice