Indian Government Warns Against Increasing Smishing Frauds

Smishing, derived from “SMS” and “phishing,” is a type of cybercrime that uses deceptive text messages to manipulate victims into divulging sensitive personal information such as bank account details, credit card numbers and login credentials.

Smishing scams are on the rise in India, using text messages to deceive people into revealing personal information or sending money. Smishing scams are notorious for impersonating trusted entities and creating a sense of urgency to pressure victims into making hasty decisions.

Banks, brands, and government agencies are prime targets because of their inherent authority. Scammers often copy logos, language, and even sender names to make their messages appear genuine. Smishing scams often rely on impersonation and urgency to trick people into revealing sensitive information or clicking on malicious links.

Both smishing and phishing are forms of cyberattacks that trick individuals into providing personal, sensitive information. They primarily differ in their methods of delivery and the technologies they exploit.

The warning from the Indian cyber agency is against a new scam called 'Smishing' - a malicious practice that aims to deceive and defraud people through text messages.

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) asked people to "beware of smishing attacks", short for 'SMS phishing', and shared details of the new scam. The agency explained that the latest scam utilises persuasive messages to trick people into revealing personal or financial information or committing financial fraud.

This emphasizes the importance of being cautious about any unexpected text messages, especially those that make urgent requests or offer tempting deals.

CERT-In shared some steps to avoid falling victim to smishing like-

·         Never click on any suspicious link in SMS/social media charts or posts.

·         Use online resources to validate shortened URLs.

·         Always check the link before clicking.

·         Use updated antivirus and antimalware tools.

·         If you receive any suspicious message pretending to be from bank or institution, immediately contact the bank or institution.

·         Use a separate email account for personal online transactions.

·         Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for emails and bank accounts.

·         Keep your operating system and software updated with the latest patches.

To report cyber fraud incidents, you call 1930 or visit CERT-In's official site - cybercrime.gov.in.

Smishing works by leveraging social engineering techniques, manipulation and deceit to trick victims into providing sensitive information. As people trust text messages more than emails, fraudsters have started using them for their schemes.