While most cyber scams target your computer, smishing and vishing scams target your mobile phone, and they’re becoming a common threat as a growing number of people world wide own mobile phones. (Vishing scams also target land-line phones.)
"Smishing"-a combination of SMS texting and phishing—and “Vishing”—voice and phishing. Just as
technology has given us
new advancements and
conveniences to access and
retrieve information, crime
has evolved as well to include smart phones and other communication devices.
Here’s how smishing and vishing scams work: criminals set up an automated dialing system to text or call people in a targeted area (or sometimes they use stolen customer phone numbers from banks or credit unions). The victims receive messages like: “There’s a problem with your account,” or “Your ATM card needs to be reactivated,” The victims are directed to a phone number or website asking for personal information. Armed with that information, criminals can steal from victims’ bank accounts, charge purchases on their charge cards, create a phony ATM card, etc.
Cont'd on next page.
.