Texting Scams: Don't Be A Victim of Smishing

Smishing, also known as SMS Phishing, is when fake text messages are sent with the intent of stealing personal information like your password, account number, Social Security Number (SSN), etc, that can give access to online accounts, including your online or mobile banking, email, online bills, and more. It is important to be able to recognize these types of text messages in order to protect your personal information.

Preventative measures you can take:

• iPhones and Android phones have spam filters that can be setup in your phone's settings to help prevent these type of messages from reaching your main inbox. Contact your wireless provider if you need assistance and gain access to additional tools they may be able to provide.
• Do not trust any URL (website link) or phone number given to you in a text message that you were not expecting. Go directly to the source via a web browser and look up you account information on a trusted site and google any phone number to verify if it is a legitimate number before calling.
  • Examples of possible fraudulent messages:
    • "Your bank account has been temporarily suspended, use this secure link to reactivate your accounts."
    • "We want to buy your property! Get paid in a few days!"
    • "You've won a $100 Walmart gift card! Click here to claim!"
    • "Your Amazon package has been shipped, click this link to confirm or cancel."
    • "Your Apple account has fraudulent activity, click this link to change your password."
    • "The IRS is filing a lawsuit against you. Call this number or a warrant will be put out for your arrest."
• Do not trust or respond to wrong number text messages.