SMShing cyber scam on the rise here: don’t take the bait!

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – You’ve heard of phishing, but have you ever heard of SMShing? Even if you haven’t, you’ve probably experienced it.

“SMShing” is a combination of SMS texting and phishing, and it’s a newer way hackers scam people with text messages. 

Many of you have seen the texts on your own phones: fake messages from the U.S. Postal Service with a link to claim your package or from ATT offering a gift for paying your bill. 

These texts are scams sent from halfway around the world right to your phone. The scammer hopes you’ll take the bait and click the link, and soon enough, your personal information could end up on the dark web. 

Owner and operator of MCFADDEN.IT Art McFadden said scams like these have led to his largest new requests, ransomware protection. Ransomware protection is a security that prevents hackers from stealing your info and making you pay a ransom to get it back. 

“Ransom is hitting businesses, and it cost [the U.S.] billions last year,” said McFadden.

To Southcentral Kentucky’s businesses, McFadden believes it’s absolutely necessary to have good IT workers, 2-Factor Authentication logins, information backups and disaster recovery backups.

“[Cyber Scamming] is only going to get worse,” McFadden predicted. 

McFadden advises that people don’t weigh themselves down worrying about scammers; however, he says learning the basics of what links not to click is a good way to go.

He also advises to go ahead and prepare for more cybersecurity to come in the near future, because hackers aren’t’ going anywhere. 

“Unfortunately, we are going to get to the point where we’re going to need 3-Factor Authentication,” McFadden warns. 

McFadden recommends visiting these two websites to learn the basics of cybersafety.

https://phishingquiz.withgoogle.com/

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams