Fraudsters are continuously innovating their tactics to deceive individuals, and the most recent threat is coming from regular text messages. According to a study by cybersecurity experts from Malwarebytes, there has been a significant increase in fake conversations sent to mobile devices.
Some of these messages start with a simple ‘Hello’, while others imply prior acquaintance with the recipient. For instance, one message identified by Malwarebytes reads, “Hi, I noticed your contact details are saved in my phone, can you remind me where we met before.”
The primary goal of these deceptive messages is to establish a connection and extract personal information, which can then be exploited for data theft, as reported by the Express. Once a recipient responds, scammers initiate a friendly dialogue.
The ultimate objective is to win the recipient’s trust and potentially turn the interaction into a costly romance or investment scam, as explained by Malwarebytes. Despite seeming implausible, these schemes have proven to be remarkably successful.
One well-known tactic, the “Hi mum” ploy, where scammers pose as a family member in distress, has resulted in significant financial losses to unsuspecting victims in the UK.
It is crucial for all smartphone users, whether on an iPhone or Android device, to remain vigilant, refrain from responding, and avoid clicking on any links sent by unfamiliar contacts. Malwarebytes warns that responding to such messages confirms the active status of your number, marking you as a potential target for further exploitation or data sharing.
If you receive a suspicious message, here are some straightforward guidelines to follow to protect yourself from falling victim to such scams.