Smishing (text message scams): what to do
Smishing is phishing delivered by SMS (text message). It is one of the most common scam methods targeting people in the UK, with over 45 million spam texts sent daily. This guide explains how to recognise smishing messages and what to do when you receive one.
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What is smishing?
Smishing (SMS phishing) uses text messages to trick you into clicking a malicious link, calling a fraudulent number, or replying with personal information. Attackers send millions of messages at once, knowing only a small proportion need to succeed for the attack to be profitable.
3 steps
The most common smishing scenarios in the UK
These are the scam types most frequently reported to Report Fraud in the UK:
6 steps
How to spot a smishing message
These characteristics appear in most smishing attempts:
6 steps
What to do when you receive a smishing message
How to respond without putting yourself at risk:
6 steps
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