In today’s digital world, SMS (Short Message Service) has become a primary way to receive important financial alerts, such as bank transaction notifications, fraud warnings, credit card updates, and service expiry reminders. Many online services also rely on SMS to send critical updates directly to our mobile phones. However, the widespread use of SMS has also made it a target for cybercriminals.
Scammers use SMS to send fake messages designed to trick people into sharing personal information or downloading malware. This type of scam is called smishing (SMS phishing). Smishing works because people often trust text messages and may act quickly when they feel a sense of urgency. As a result, it’s crucial to stay cautious and verify the authenticity of any SMS message, especially if it asks for sensitive information or includes a link.
These scams can have serious consequences, such as identity theft, financial loss, or hacked devices. To stay safe, it is important to know how to spot these scams, what to do if you accidentally click on a suspicious link, and how to check links safely. This article provides an in-depth look at identifying suspicious links in text messages, what to do if you accidentally click on one, and how to inspect links safely.
Key Takeaways
- Learn how to identify and avoid suspicious links in text messages.
- Protect yourself from smishing scams and keep your personal information safe.
- Discover common tactics used by scammers and how to stay vigilant.
- Find out what to do if you accidentally click on a suspicious link.
Understanding Text Message Scams
How Text Scams Target People
Text scams are designed to trick you into sharing personal or account information, such as your Social Security Number, bank details, or email passwords. Once scammers get this information, they can access your accounts and cause serious harm. These fake text messages often use similar strategies to deceive you, including:
- Offering fake financial support or prizes.
- Warning about money-related issues, like suspicious deliveries or unpaid bills.
- Claiming a family member is in trouble and needs help.
- Including a suspicious link.
If you receive an unexpected text message that asks for personal details or promises money, it should immediately raise a red flag. Always be cautious and verify the message before taking any action.
Remember, a sense of urgency is a common tactic used by scammers. Legitimate businesses rarely demand immediate action through text messages.
How SMS Scams Operate
Scammers use automated systems to send large numbers of spam texts, targeting as many people as possible. These messages often pretend to be from legitimate companies, making it hard to tell if they are real or fake. The scam usually works in three steps:
- The Bait: You receive a text that seems convincing, like a message saying you have won a prize or need to verify an account.
- The Hook: The text includes a suspicious link or asks for sensitive information, such as passwords or bank details.
- The Catch: If you click the link, you are taken to a fake website designed to steal your information.
Tactics Used by Scammers
Scammers use a variety of deceptive methods to trick people into falling for their schemes. Here are some common tactics:
- Spoofing: Using fake phone numbers or email addresses to make their messages seem legitimate.
- Phishing: Tricking you into sharing sensitive information like passwords or credit card details.
- Smishing: Sending text messages that encourage you to download malware or visit harmful websites.
- Pretexting: Creating a fake story or scenario to manipulate you into giving away personal information.
Spotting a Fake Text Message: Key Signs
Not Relevant to You
The message appears out of the blue, with no connection to any recent interaction you have had with a business or person. Common scams include texts about delivery issues with a package, unpaid invoices, or winning a prize in a contest. If you did not order anything, sign up for a competition, or expect such a message, it is likely a scam.
Requires Immediate Action
Scam texts often pressure you to act quickly, using phrases like “Act now” or “Urgent action required.” Legitimate businesses or government agencies will not demand immediate action through text messages. This sense of urgency is a tactic to make you act without thinking carefully. Always take a moment to verify the message before responding.
Grammar and Spelling Mistakes
Fake text messages often contain awkward sentence structures, poor grammar, and spelling mistakes. While not every scam text has these errors, they are a common red flag. Look for signs like:
- Unusual spacing between words or characters.
- Incomplete or unfinished sentences.
- Poor grammar or incorrect word usage.
- Obvious spelling mistakes.
Contains Inaccurate Statements
Scam messages often include claims that are easy to verify. For example, if you receive a message from someone claiming to be in a crisis and asking for money, double-check the situation by calling the person directly or contacting a mutual friend. Similarly, if a text claims there is suspicious activity in your bank account, log in to your online banking securely to verify the information. Always confirm the details before taking any action.
The Number Is Unknown
When a legitimate business sends a text message, the sender’s number is usually identified and recognizable. Scam texts, on the other hand, often come from unidentified mobile numbers that you do not recognize. If the sender’s number looks unfamiliar or suspicious, it is best to avoid interacting with the message.
Contains Suspicious Links
Some companies may use shortened links in their messages, but they typically indicate the URL shortening service used, such as TinyURL or Bit.ly. A suspicious link, however, will not show any recognizable signs of a legitimate shortening service, even if it has a similar string of characters. Never click on a suspicious link, as it could lead to malware being downloaded onto your device or a phishing website designed to steal your information. Always verify the link before clicking.
Online link scanners, like Google Safe Browsing or VirusTotal, offer a valuable extra layer of security, but remember, they’re not foolproof. Use them as a helpful tool, not a guarantee.
Incorrect Domain Names
Scam text messages often try to mimic the names of legitimate companies, but they usually make mistakes in the branding. Here are some common red flags to watch for:
- Misspelled domain names: For example, “Amazonn.com” instead of “Amazon.com.” (Typosquatting: Misspellings to trick you.)
- Added characters or digits in the URL: Such as “www.Amaz0n.com” instead of “www.Amazon.com.” (Notice the zero replacing the letter ‘o’.)
- Unnatural subdomains: Scammers may use unusual or random subdomains that do not match the company’s official website structure. Example: support.paypal.com.verification.net (The real PayPal wouldn’t use “.verification.net”)
Always double-check the branding and domain name in the message to ensure it matches the official website of the company. If anything looks off, it is likely a scam.
How to Inspect a Link Safely Without Clicking
Before clicking on any link, it is important to inspect it carefully to avoid potential risks. Here is how you can do it safely:
Previewing Links
- On mobile devices: Most smartphones allow you to long-press a link to preview the full URL without opening it. This helps you see where the link actually leads.
- On computers: Hover your mouse over the link, and the destination URL will appear in the browser’s status bar at the bottom of the screen.
If the above methods do not work, here are some other options to try.
Analyzing the URL Structure
When inspecting a link, the domain (website name) is the most critical part to check. It is the section after “http://” or “https://” and before the first “/”. For example, in “http://google.com/maps,” the domain is “google.com.” Similarly, “http://google.login.ie” has “login.ie,” not “google.com.”
Here are some tips for analyzing the URL structure:
- Look for irregularities: Watch for hyphens, symbols, or numbers in the domain name, as these can be red flags. For example, “www.google.com” is different from “www.google-search.com.”
- Domains with hyphens or symbols: Legitimate websites rarely use hyphens or symbols in their domain names.
- Domains entirely made of numbers: Be cautious of domains that are entirely numbers (IP addresses), as they are often suspicious.
- Beware of shortened URLs: Shortened URLs from services like TinyURL or Bitly hide the true destination, making it harder to verify the link’s safety.
- Compare visible and hidden URLs: If the revealed URL differs significantly from the visible link text, avoid clicking it.
Using Online Link Scanners and Safety Checkers
If you cannot preview a link or want extra confirmation about its safety, you can use online link scanners to check the site’s status. These tools analyze the link and provide information about potential risks.
- Google Safe Browsing: Paste the link into the “Check site status” box on Google’s Safe Browsing tool. It will quickly tell you if the site has been flagged as unsafe.
- VirusTotal and URLVoid: These tools scan the link against multiple cybersecurity databases to check for malicious content.
However, it is important to remember that link scanners have limitations. They may not detect new or unknown threats. A result showing “no unsafe content found” does not guarantee the link is safe. Always use your judgment and stay cautious when dealing with unfamiliar links.
When in doubt, don’t click. A few extra seconds of scrutiny—hovering over the link, verifying the sender, or using a search engine to confirm the legitimacy of a claim—can save you from significant trouble.
What to Do If You Accidentally Click a Suspicious Link
Take Your Device Offline Immediately
Disconnecting your device from the internet is the first and most important step. This reduces the risk of malware spreading to other devices on your network and prevents remote access to your device. Here is how to do it:
- Enable airplane mode on iPhone and Android: Swipe down from the top of your screen and tap the “Airplane Mode” icon to turn it on.
- Disconnect from Wi-Fi on a computer:
- On Windows: Right-click the network icon in the taskbar, select “Network & Internet Settings,” click “Wi-Fi,” and then click “Manage Known Networks.” Select the network you are connected to and click “Forget.”
- On Mac: Click the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar and select “Turn Wi-Fi Off.”
- Disable an Ethernet connection: Unplug the Ethernet (internet) cable from your device or disable the connection in your network settings.
Run a Malware Scan on Your System
Use trusted antivirus software to detect and remove any malware that may have been installed. Perform a thorough scan to ensure your system is clean.
Change Your Login Details
Change the usernames and passwords for all your online accounts, especially if you entered login information on a malicious website. Use unique, strong passwords for each account to prevent further unauthorized access.
Activate a Fraud Alert
Set up a fraud alert with credit bureaus or your bank. Check with them to activate these types of facilities if they are available. Most financial institutions now provide security alerts for any suspicious activity or unusual use of your credit card, such as transactions at unfamiliar places or websites.
Always contact your bank using the phone number you already have, not any number provided in a suspicious text message. This ensures you are speaking to the legitimate institution and not a scammer. Setting up a fraud alert makes it harder for scammers to open new accounts in your name without your knowledge and helps protect your financial information.
Secure Your Finances
If the phishing attack involves your banking information, contact your financial institution immediately. Banks can help monitor your accounts, secure them, and issue replacement credit cards if needed. Additionally, request a credit freeze, if available in your country or region, to prevent cybercriminals from opening new lines of credit in your name. This adds an extra layer of protection to your financial security.
Some Common SMS Scams
Here are some typical SMS scams to watch out for:
- Free Money Text Scam: These messages offer incentives like cash rewards but often misspell the company’s name and include suspicious links.
- Delivery Notification Scam Texts: Scammers pretend to be delivery services like FedEx or DHL, claiming you missed a delivery. The link they provide leads to a fake website designed to steal your information.
- Fake Fraud Alerts: Fraudsters pose as banks, warning of suspicious activity on your account and asking for personal or financial details to “secure” it.
- Sweepstakes Text Scams: These messages claim you’ve won a prize but require an advance payment or personal information through a link.
- “Please Text Me” Scam: These texts ask you to reply, often pretending to be a family member in an emergency or financial trouble.
- Group Me Scams: Scammers send unsolicited group messages to multiple people at once, often containing malicious links or requests.
- Movie or Video Streaming Service Scam Texts: These texts claim there is an issue with your Netflix or other streaming service subscription, aiming to steal your login credentials.
Staying Safe: Tips for Protecting Your Phone Number
To protect your phone number and avoid falling victim to scams, follow these tips:
- Be cautious of unsolicited text messages: Think carefully before responding to or clicking on links from unknown senders.
- Verify the identity of the sender: Contact the company directly using their official website or phone number to confirm the message’s authenticity.
- Do not provide personal or financial information: Legitimate companies will never ask for sensitive information like passwords or credit card details via text.
- Report spam text messages: Forward suspicious texts to your mobile carrier (many carriers use a shortcode like 7726 for spam reporting) or report them to local authorities or consumer protection agencies in your country.
- Block spam messages: Use your phone’s built-in blocking features or download a trusted app to filter out unwanted texts.
- Keep your phone’s software up to date: Regularly update your phone’s operating system and apps to ensure you have the latest security patches.
- Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA on your phone and online accounts to add an extra layer of security.
Conclusion
Identifying and avoiding suspicious links in text messages is essential for protecting your digital security. Staying vigilant and cautious can make a big difference in keeping your personal information safe. By staying informed, acting carefully, and thinking before you click, you can greatly reduce the risk of falling victim to text message scams. Remember, a little awareness goes a long way in safeguarding your online safety.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I know if a text link is safe on my desktop?
You can hover over the link without clicking to preview the URL. Check for misspellings or suspicious domains. Alternatively, use a trusted link scanner like Google Safe Browsing, VirusTotal, or URLVoid to analyze the link.
How do I know if a link is safe on my phone?
Long-press the link to preview the full URL. Verify the source domain to ensure it matches the official website of the sender. If you are unsure or worried about accidentally clicking the link, copy the URL and paste it into a trusted link scanner like Google Safe Browsing, VirusTotal, or URLVoid. These tools will check the link for malicious activity.
However, remember that no tool is 100% foolproof. Always trust your instincts—if something feels off, avoid clicking the link.
What do suspicious links look like?
Suspicious links often have misspelled domains, use URL shorteners, contain random characters, or come from unknown or untrusted sources.
What if I accidentally clicked on a suspicious link on my phone?
Disconnect your device from the internet immediately. Use antivirus software to scan for and remove any malware. Change your passwords for important accounts and monitor your financial information for unusual activity.
What if I clicked on a phishing link but did not enter details?
Even if you did not enter any information, your device could still be at risk. Some malware can infect your device just by clicking a link. Follow safety precautions, such as scanning your device for malware and changing your passwords, to ensure your security.
