Don’t let the Chameleon fraudsters trick you!
You’ve probably already heard about Don’t let the Chameleon trick you!
You’ve probably already heard about phishing emails, what they look like and what to avoid. Well, SMS phishing – or smishing, is the text equivalent. What do they look like and what should you do if you get one? Don’t let the Chameleon trick you! Check out what to look for below.
What is Smishing?
You’ve probably already heard about phishing emails, what they look like and what to avoid. Well, SMS phishing – or smishing, is the text equivalent. What do they look like and what should you do if you get one?
Smishing’s a type of fraud. They’re texts & messages that are made to look like they have come from a reputable company and try to get you to do something. That could be calling a premium rate number or sharing confidential info.
How to spot a smishing message
Smishing messages can be convincing, looking very authentic, and it’s easy to mistake them for genuine messages from reputable companies. Please find below a list of signs to look out for to identify smishing.
Spelling mistakes
Careless spelling mistakes can be a clear sign something’s not quite right – keep an eye out for them or message all in capitals can be another telling sign.
Claims that your account’s in danger
Smishing messages usually tell you that there’s an urgent issue with your account. They’ll tell you that if you don’t act now, your account will be suspended or blocked. Fraudsters want to scare you and hope that you’ll panic & follow their instructions. Always take time to think it through before you act on anything.
There are other smishing tactics too. Like by saying, you’ve won something or have the chance to get an exclusive offer. They hope you’ll be so excited that you’ll do what they’ve asked, without thinking.
With messages like this, our tip is – if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
What should you do if you get one?
Getting a suspicious message can be worrying. But just receiving one won’t affect the security of your personal info or phone. For the scam to work, you’d need to follow the instructions given in the message.
Is it genuine?
The easiest way to check is to ask the company the message is supposed to be from. They’ll let you know if it’s really from them or not.
Remember to use contact details from the company’s official website – don’t call any numbers given in the message.
Don’t click on any links
If you’ve received a suspicious message, don’t click on any links. Get in touch with the company it’s supposed to be from, first. They’ll let you know if it’s genuine or not. Until then, don’t click on any links or follow any of the instructions.
Think about it
Would the supposed sender really contact you like this? Most companies wouldn’t ask you to confirm sensitive info over text.
Don’t respond
Responding to smishing messages may lead you to being targeted again – it’s best to ignore and delete it.
What happens if you respond?
These types of messages are designed to be convincing. So, if you fall victim to one – don’t beat yourself up. It really could happen to anyone.
If you’ve responded to a message that you think is suspicious, there are some steps you can take:
• Change your passwords. Do this as soon as you can for things like your Mobile Phone, online banking, and email address.
• Contact your bank. It’s a good idea get in touch with your bank, just to make them aware of the situation. They’ll be able to let you know the best course of action.
To sum up, don’t get fooled by the chameleon fraudsters message, it may look genuine, but is it?