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Fraud Protection: 5 Reminders to Avoid Smishing and Vishing Scams
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Smishing is a type of cyberattack that uses text messages to trick people into giving away personal information or clicking on malicious links.
Vishing, or voice phishing, is a type of identity fraud scam that uses phone calls or voicemails to trick people into sharing sensitive information.
Use these five helpful reminders to stay safe:
- Stay on alert for suspicious SMS text messages stating payments have been made using your account or Zelle information. These types of messages are called smishing.
- Phishers send a text, supposedly from your financial institution, asking you to confirm transactions made from your account by responding with a simple “Yes” or “No”, prompting a possible phone call from them immediately after.
- Do not respond to these types of messages. Instead, call your financial institution directly to confirm they have sent you a message about your account or to make sure there are no actual unknown transactions.
- When calling your financial institution, always call the number from the institution’s website or the number found on the back of your debit/credit card.
- If you feel you have been a victim of an SMS text messaging scam, call your financial institution for immediate assistance.
Find more on smishing, voice phishing, and Zelle fraud explained by Brian Krebs, author of Krebs on Security, using the links below:
- SMS About Bank Fraud as a Pretext for Voice Phishing – Krebs on Security
- The ‘Zelle Fraud’ Scam: How it Works, How to Fight Back – Krebs on Security
Need extra information on how to protect yourself and your information? Check out our free online course on Identity Protection.
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