How to Avoid Falling Victim To Smishing or SMS Phishing Scams?
For most of us, our phones have become an extension of ourselves. Keeping them protected has gone from being a concern to being a necessity. Staying in touch with friends is easy but staying in touch with digital security can be challenging. We all know using a mobile phone comes with risks. But the more we use it the greater the risk.
SMS phishing scams are one of the fastest-growing mobile threats today. They are simple to implement, can be sent at scale, and bypass firewalls and most spam filters. Learn how you can protect yourself. Read these tips on how to avoid falling victim to these attacks.
1. Do not respond to surveys or requests from unknown sources.
These are the words of a scam artist, who aims to trick you into giving out personal information or money. Do not respond to unsolicited SMS requests for money or information, no matter how urgent the request may seem.
2. Never give personal information to people you do not know.
Because of the nature of personal information, you should never give out your name, address or telephone number to anyone who contacts you. It is dangerous for you to chat with strangers. If somebody uses your relative’s name just to make you believe, never give out your own personal info. It’s a common target for scam artists, and they have many ways to get your information.
3. Use your messaging app’s blocking or blacklisting capability
If you’re getting unwanted messages, use the blocking or blacklisting capability so you can avoid dealing with specific people. Blocking someone stops them from being able to send you additional messages. This will prevent yourself from being distracted by notifications or avoid having them appear on the screen.
4. Report incidents directly to the NTC.
The NTC is advising the public to be wary of this scam and report through this link https://ntc.gov.ph/complaint The NTC is currently conducting a campaign against smishing techniques and is committed to protecting the people from the schemes of scammers, phishers and hackers.
The best way to avoid being scammed through SMS phishing is to be aware of the tactics that are being used. Follow your gut when it comes to any suspicious messages, and never give out information over the phone without verifying that you are talking with a legitimate company or individual. If you find this article useful, please share it with your friends and family online as well as on Facebook and Twitter.
