Last week a Delta resident reported to Delta Police that two fraudulent e-transfers had been made from their bank account.
Police say the victim indicated they had received a text claiming to be the government wanting to send them a $540 refund cheque and to follow a link.
“Smishing is a phishing attempt through SMS, where fraudsters claim to be a government organization to gain access to personal information and financial records,” say DPD in a post on their Facebook page. “While to some a smishing attempt may seem obvious and avoidable, not all do. We recommend that you share these red flags of these attempts with loved ones and friends to help keep them safe.”
- A government organization or bank will never use text messaging to confirm personal or financial information
- Attackers usually impersonate reputable brands and organizations
- Smishing messages are short, and usually include a malicious link
- Since smishing messages are concise, they can be harder to recognize.
