Your cell phone is one of our most used — and — trusted devices. Help keep your device safe with these cybersecurity tips meant to help you avoid potential smishing scams.
Never respond
- The first rule when dealing with smishing texts is to never respond. Other than potentially triggering malware to install onto your device, you could verify a working number for the hacker. They could then use it for other scams or include it in a list to sell on the dark web for a profit.
- Contact banks and/or retailers directly
- Cybercriminals often try to impersonate legitimate businesses and/or banking institutions in smishing texts to get people to compromise credit card numbers and identifiable information. If you receive a text and question its validity, the best thing you could do is contact the bank or retailer directly.
Avoid clicking on suspicious links and files
- A hacker’s first step in a smishing attack is attaching an infected link. These may direct you to a site infected with spyware to record what you type or install malware onto your device. Avoid clicking on these links at all costs. And if you can tell a text is untrustworthy upon receiving it, simply delete it immediately.
Inspect new phone numbers
- Strange-looking phone numbers may indicate that the text is a part of a smishing campaign. Take notice of four-digit numbers or any others that stray from the typical 10-digit format.
- Never send personal information via text
- Online scammers love to use the mystery behind our screens to trick us into compromising our most private information. To help keep yourself safe, never give out personal details, such as passwords, credit card numbers, addresses, and emails via text.
Report smishing attacks
If you received a text or call from someone claiming to be our Fraud Center and think it is suspicious, please call our Customer Service Center at (888) 303-4TSB to verify that it is not a smishing attempt.
If you come across a potential smishing scam, report it to the authorities. You can forward all malicious text messages to SPAM (7726) and/or reach out to the FTC directly at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.