The FBI tells users of smartphones to “stop”.
American users of iPhone and Android are struck by a deluge of dangerous texts, because organized Chinese gangs target states and cities across the country. And these attacks are now booming. The FBI warnings users to delete all these texts received and “to”stop“Before answering or engaging with unexpected messages.” Schools often create a feeling of urgency to rush quickly “, a terribly effective tactic.
Wednesday, the Federal Commerce Commission said that last year had a 500% increase in annual losses against SMS scams out of 2020. “Consumers said they had lost $ 470 million to scams that started with text messages,” he said.
The report highlights package deliveries, false job offers, banking fraud alerts and unpaid tolls as key messages to monitor. But the lure can be anything. Messages will hide behind a brand or agency and will include a link to a website that will hold identification information or make a fraudulent payment. These SMIRS attacks are supported by kits sold, rented or exploited by Chinese cybercriminals.
The links themselves are often a revealing sign that the text is a scam, using non-American domains with an extensive link comprising several misleading keywords. You can know more about these links here, including the new trick which disguises a malicious link like the authentic address “.com” for the brand or the imitated agency.
New research last week has highlighted the magnitude of some of the Chinese networks – such as Smishing Triad – behind the scams, and warns that the unpaid tasting plague is only the beginning. The next wave of attacks should copy major financial and banking brands, encouraging users to abandon their identification information or move their money.
Slashnet J Stephen Kowski told me that the Chinese gangs “have gone from targeting customer road customers and customer shipping to directly attack international financial institutions, using sophisticated solution techniques that bypass traditional security measures. These attackers benefit from remarkable success converting the sentences of the mobile portfolio of Apple and Google.”
The FBI confirmed His advice from SMIMS last month for all smartphones users: consult your accounts using usual and legitimate websites or contact suppliers by phone, delete all the texts received and check your accounts and change your passwords if you have provided data.
According to Zimperium Kern Smith, “the latest wave of mobile SMS scams is a brutal reminder that mobile devices and applications are particularly vulnerable – and often under protected – against attackers”, while new reports “show continuous investment by cybercriminals in targeting mobile users”.
