The FBI is warning all iPhone and Android users to delete “smishing” messages immediately, Forbes reports.
Smishing texts, which get their name by combining “SMS” (Short Message Service) and “phishing,” are scams that intend to get the recipient into providing confidential information. Cybercriminals have registered more than 10,000 domains as part of these schemes and target iPhone and Android users by sending fake text messages, which authorities are urging all recipients to delete immediately.
A new report from Unit 42, the cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Network’s research division specializing in threat intelligence and incident response, showed that smishing scams have successfully lured unsuspecting recipients of providing credit card and bank account details. The scam initially started by warning recipients of fraudulent toll payment notifications and has since expanded to fake delivery service alerts.
The Federal Trade Commission warned all iPhone and Android users that clicking the links provided would not only risk financial theft but also expose them to potential identity fraud. The scam messages commonly follow a similar pattern in which the user is notified of an unpaid bill requiring immediate action to avoid penalties, followed by a link directing the user to a fake payment portal in which the various domains come into play.
Scammers now instruct users to copy and paste the URL into their web browser as a way of getting past iMessage blocks for suspicious links. Unit 42 identified numerous domains used in smishing schemes, many of which include China’s .XIN top level domain, while the FTC advises that no US toll service or delivery company would redirect to a foreign domain.
A report from the cybersecurity firm McAfee reports the top cities targeted by the scams include Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago and Orlando.
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