Telephone scams are the order of the day, however, there are many users who do not pay much attention to the SMS they receive on their mobile phones. An aspect that can play tricks, since it could be smishing fraud. For this reason, Movistar does not miss the opportunity to warn its customers about this danger and also explains how it can be identified so as not to fall into the trap.
Not all SMS are harmless. Smishing is like phishing, but instead of receiving an email, cybercriminals send their potential victims a series of text messages to their phone numbers. Until then everything is clear. The problem is that not everyone can know how to identify a fake SMS from a real one.
Movistar tips
The objective of this type of scam is clear: steal data. But how can you identify it? To begin with, keep in mind that you can receive an SMS or even a text message through a messaging app like WhatsApp. What cybercriminals do is impersonate the identity of a service provider that you may have contracted, for example, your operator. In this way, they get people to enter false links or install some type of application with which they manage to infect smartphones.
If you receive a text message from a store, transportation company, your telephone company, etc., asking you to download an application through a link or that you need to pay a fee or invoice, do not you have to open it. This strategy is part of this type of fraud known as smishing. Basically, because that’s how cybercriminals try to scam people through text messages.
To protect you from this type of fraud, there are several points that can be taken into account. For example, you do not have to accept any permission to install apps that have an unknown origin, nor should you share sensitive information. Although, the best advice to follow is not to open a suspicious SMS that asks for your information or to download a mobile app. And, of course, it doesn’t hurt to delete them directly so as not to enter involuntarily. In this way, the truth is that you will avoid more than one headache by not falling for the scam.
Furthermore, if in your case you are waiting for a package, you should consult directly with said company. And the same thing happens if you have a bill pending payment. Go directly to the company and do not trust the SMS you receive. More than anything because at first it may seem harmless, but the reality is completely different. This is a series of scams that are increasingly evolving with the aim of getting more people to take the bait.
