Since the launch of Apple’s iPhone nearly two decades ago, the device and all its consecutive versions have been among the best-selling smartphone devices in the USA.

The rising threat of smishing attacks

Criminals are well aware of the brand’s popularity in North America and have been looking for ways to exploit it. Recently, Apple users have become targets of smishing attacks.

Read also: 14 Types of Malware and How to Prevent Them

What is smishing?

Smishing  consists of phishing attempts received in the form of an SMS. Apple users have received text messages from bad actors pretending to be part of Apple’s team. The fraudsters request Apple users to click on a suspicious link that requires them to share their Apple ID and iCloud information.

How smishing works

The bad actors even make potential victims pass a captcha test to make the request look more authentic. Once the unsuspecting users verify they are not robots, they end up on a site resembling a real one with prompts asking them to share sensitive info, including passwords, usernames, full names, and other personal information. The criminals record all the data the users give and then use it to commit fraud.

Consequences of smishing attacks

Potential risks for victims

Attackers could use the info to crack Amazon or eBay accounts and purchase things with all the credit and debit cards on file. Fraudsters could also try the same email, username, and password to break into an online banking account and attempt to drain it.

Why SMS phishing is effective

SMS phishing has become more effective for hackers than regular email phishing, as email clients often forward such requests directly to a user’s junk folder. However, smartphones have not yet perfected such protection, and malicious links frequently land in people’s message centers. While many wouldn’t fall for such a trap, distracted folks could make a wrong move and get infected, hacked, and defrauded.  

How to recognize and avoid smishing attacks

Identifying red flags

In order to recognize smishing or phishing attacks, users can look for red flags that usually consist of misspelled words in the URL or text body. Verifying the phone number can also be helpful – if the message comes from a sketchy random number, the message is very likely fraudulent.

General precautions

Being cautious when receiving unsolicited messages is a must not only when it comes to SMS but also emails – clicking on suspicious links on any platform almost certainly leads to problems. Sometimes, bad actors would try to call and provide “tech support,” leading to even more malicious activities on a user’s smartphone or computer. Or fraudsters would already know the target’s first name and try to gain trust, pretending to be a person looking for human contact.  

Protective measures against smishing

While wireless service providers and smartphone manufacturers are still perfecting defense systems that could prevent fraudsters from reaching potential victims, most advanced antivirus software companies already offer a shield against such attacks.

Such advanced protection options can give you peace of mind, even if you accidently end up clicking on a suspicious link. You will receive a notification that you are going to a website known to be associated with malicious activities. Antivirus companies monitor the global internet space for such threats and ensure they protect its client base.