What is Smishing and How Do You Prevent It?

Digital technology like smartphones have made our lives easier and more convenient. Email, e-commerce and texting allow users to communicate, conduct business while on-the-go and send short messages to friends and family.

While the pros associated with smartphones are impressive, there are some cons to be aware of – especially if you are an older adult. Robocalls, spoofing and phishing are common methods used by cyber criminals to gain access to personal and financial information. Smishing is a more recent technique used by cyber criminals that is particularly effective.

What does a smishing message look like?

While phishing has been around for decades, smishing attacks are relatively new – and they are on the rise. Smishing messages appear to come from a trusted source like a bank, government agency or store. The content and the type of link included in the message varies. However, most will contain some sort of warning (e.g., account being suspended) or an announcement (e.g., prize or discount), with either a link or a phone number to call.

How to Prevent Smishing

Reducing your risk of becoming a victim of a smishing attack is relatively straightforward. In addition to being able to identify a smishing message, it is important to know what to do if you receive one. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends the following tips:

• Don’t click on links or telephone numbers. Doing so can give access to your personal information or download malware to your smart device.

• Don’t respond to the message – that includes texting the word “STOP” to be removed from the list.

• Remove spam texts by deleting them.

• Install security updates for your smartphone as soon as they are available.

Most smishing messages try to create a sense of urgency in order to trigger a quick response. Before responding to the message, take a moment to verify that it is legitimate. Keep in mind that financial institutions and government agencies (e.g., IRS) will not correspond via text nor will they ask for personal or sensitive information. Finally, messages that seem suspicious or too good to be true – probably are.

For more lifestyle tips and resources, visit The Bristal Assisted Living’s blog at blog.thebristal.com.