You’ve probably heard of phishing—that sneaky way cybercriminals use emails to trick you into handing over sensitive information. But have you heard of smishing? It’s like phishing’s younger, text-happy sibling, and it’s becoming a major headache for businesses and individuals alike.
Smishing (short for SMS phishing) uses text messages to impersonate trusted brands or individuals, fooling recipients into clicking malicious links or revealing private details. The worst part? These scams often look so legitimate that they’re hard to spot, especially in our fast-paced, notification-filled lives.
Let’s break it down:
How Does Smishing Work?
It’s simple but effective. Scammers send a text that appears to come from a well-known company or even someone you know. These messages often create urgency or fear to get you to act quickly, like confirming account details, paying a bill, or tracking a delivery.
And they’re good at it. These texts are crafted to look convincing—sometimes even including official logos or language.
Why Is Smishing on the Rise?
People are increasingly mobile-first, meaning we rely heavily on our smartphones to stay connected, shop, and manage our lives. Cybercriminals know this, and they’re evolving their tactics to keep up. Unlike email phishing, which often gets caught in spam filters, text messages go straight to your inbox.
Brands Often Spoofed in Smishing Attacks
Hackers love to impersonate popular brands because it builds instant trust. Here are some of the most commonly spoofed companies and how they target victims:
Amazon
With millions of daily transactions, Amazon is an easy target. Fraudsters often send messages like:
“Your Amazon package is delayed. Confirm your delivery info here: [malicious link].”
“Your account is locked due to suspicious activity. Restore access here: [malicious link].”
These texts prey on our dependency on online shopping and the fear of missing out on deliveries.
Banks (e.g., Lloyds, Barclays, HSBC)
Scammers posing as your bank might send a text like:
“A suspicious payment of £500 was attempted on your account. If this wasn’t you, please click here to secure your account.”
Worried about your finances, you click the link—only to land on a fake website designed to steal your login credentials.
Delivery Companies (e.g., Royal Mail, DPD)
Who doesn’t love tracking a package? Fraudsters take advantage of this by sending messages like:
“We couldn’t deliver your package due to unpaid postage. Pay £2.99 here to reschedule: [malicious link].”
The result? Victims unknowingly hand over their card details.
Why Hackers Target These Brands in Smishing Attacks
1. Global Trust and Familiarity
Brands like Amazon, Apple, and Netflix are globally recognised and widely trusted. Users are less likely to question messages from these companies, assuming they are legitimate because of their reputation.
2. Frequent and Expected SMS Communication
Brands such as Amazon, FedEx, and USPS often send legitimate SMS notifications for orders, deliveries, or account updates. Hackers exploit this by mimicking real messages, making fake ones appear normal and trustworthy.
3. Access to Sensitive Financial Information
Brands like PayPal and Apple are closely tied to payments and personal data. Smishing messages often claim issues like unauthorised transactions or account suspension, prompting users to share login details or financial information.
4. Creating a Sense of Urgency or Fear
Hackers use urgency to pressure victims. Messages like “Your tax refund is waiting” (HMRC) or “Your package is undeliverable” (FedEx, USPS) push users to act quickly without questioning the message’s authenticity.
By leveraging trust, routine interactions, and emotional triggers, these smishing campaigns become highly persuasive, leading to higher success rates for hackers.
How to Protect Your Business from Smishing
Smishing isn’t just a problem for individuals; it’s a growing threat to businesses, too. Employees are often targeted with messages claiming to be from managers, clients, or even IT support teams.
Here’s how to stay ahead of the game:
1. Educate your team – Awareness is your first line of defense. Train employees to recognize suspicious texts.
2. Verify links – Encourage your team to check URLs carefully. Genuine companies rarely ask for sensitive info via text.
3. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) – Even if credentials are stolen, MFA provides an extra layer of security.
4. Invest in mobile security software – Protect your company devices with robust security tools that flag malicious links.
5. Have a clear reporting system – Make it easy for employees to report suspicious messages to your IT team.
Smishing is on the rise, but with the right knowledge and tools, you can protect your business and your employees. At Delta 365, we specialise in keeping your business secure from the latest cyber threats—so you can focus on what matters most.
Let’s chat about how we can help safeguard your team from smishing and other scams. Get in touch today!
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