Hello, Me - It’s … Me? "Smishing" - The Latest SMS Scam Trend

Scammers will stop at nothing to get a person’s sensitive information. They’re even stooping as low as messaging you… from your own phone number? There’s been a recent trend where people are getting weird messages from their phone numbers. It happened to a swath of Verizon customers and It seems like everyone had the exact

Have you received this message?

“Free Msg: Your bill is paid for March. Thanks, here’s a little gift for you:” with a suspicious-looking link, begging your curiosity to give in and click. It’s a form of “smishing.”

People have taken to Twitter and even TikTok to share their experiences, feeling mainly confusion from this mysterious text from themselves.

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Gone Smishing

SMS phishing, also known as “smishing,” is a type of phishing in which scammers send out “trustworthy” texts to get people to reveal their personal information. The message could range between an innocent, friendly “face” reaching out or an urgent callout.

Spoofing is one of the ways scammers get to the public. Pretending to be someone they’re not and hoping you’ll fall for the trick.

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Ghosting Scammers

SMS phishing has become as common as scam calls in the last few years.

If you do receive a random message encouraging you to click on a link, make sure to verify the origin of the text, even if it’s yours!

First Orion, a leading solutions provider for mobile carriers and enterprises, tracks scam call data to help us transform the mobile communications experience. We also protect consumers with our free PrivacyStar app, available for Apple and Android devices.

What is Branded Calling?

Business owners: If your customers don’t recognize your number, they likely won’t answer. It’s frustrating and costs your business valuable connections. The solution? INFORM® Branded Calling from First Orion. It’s a smarter, more transparent way for brands of all sizes to show who they are and why they’re calling right on the customer’s mobile display screen, which helps improve caller ID reputation and boost customer confidence. Want to learn more? Check out these commonly asked questions about Branded Calling.\

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