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TheNCOAestimates that Americans received 19.2 billion scam texts in 2024, which is about 63 fake texts per American per month. With phishing attacks via SMS growing—known as smishing attacks—it’s time to harness the power of a few helpful tools to prevent yourself from becoming a victim.
TextKiller
Instead of trying to figure out if a text message is real or fake, why not let an app likeTextKillerdo it for you? TextKiller (only available on iOS) claims it can block up to 99% of spam text messages. To do so, it compares texts you receive from an ever-growing database of smishing messages. If the text you receive resembles one of the texts from its database, it will automatically be blocked. If you’ve enabled TextKiller, you’re able to also filter between texts that are transactional, promotional, and junk messages.
Setting up TextKiller is straightforward. After downloading TextKiller, openiMessagessettings, scroll toUnknown & Spam, and hit theEnableTextKiller button.
The app offers a seven-day free trial, after which you’ll need to pay $69.99 for a year or $4.99 weekly. This may seem like a hefty price tag, but it is not when compared to the billions of dollars lost from phishing attacks.
Permission Slip
In 2006, British mathematician Clive Humby declared that data is the new oil. The comment proved prophetic, as every company nowadays is gobbling up our data and using it for whatever purpose they deem fit. The more personal data collected, the greater the odds that it will fall into the wrong hands.
To prevent this from happening, you can usePermission Slip(available on Android and iOS) to easily request that companies delete or not sell your personal information. You can request that your data be deleted or not sold from just about any company you’ve ever interacted with.
If you pay a $59.99 yearly fee, Permission Slip will fill out delete request forms on your behalf. If you opt for the free version, the app will direct you to the correct page, where you can fill out the necessary form to determine how your data is used.
Smartphone Features That Block Smishing Scams
Themessaging app you’re using probablyhas some built-in features that will help protect you from fraudulent texts. You just need to learn how to use them.
Message Filtering
iMessage does not automatically identify and block suspicious text messages, but it can filter messages. You can filter messages using one of the following filter options:
Many of us may have our filter set to All Messages. If so, you’re no doubt interacting with smishing messages. Perhaps you’re not clicking the link or responding to these messages, but you’re still opening them. If you open enough smishing messages, you’re bound to interact with one in a way the scammer wants you to. Avoid this by changing your filter to Known Senders.
Android Spam Protection
If you’re using an Android device, you can enable it to detect spam messages automatically. If Google Messages detects a fraudulent message, it will automatically place it in the spam folder, thus preventing you from ever interacting with it. Google identifies spam messages by scanning each message for links and checking the URL to determine if that link is malicious. Unencrypted messages may also occasionally be scanned to detect and improve Google’s AI detection model.
To enable spam protection, open Google Messages, click your initials in the top right-hand corner, then clickMessage SettingsandSpam Protection. Once you’re here, you’ll have the option to enable spam protection.
Report Suspicious Texts
Both iMessage and Google Messages allow users to report text messages. Reporting a text message on these apps will send information about the text to Apple or Google and your phone carrier.
Don’t Text Back or Click the Link
We’ve all received texts from someone who appears to be texting the wrong phone number. Our instinct is to help them and text back, saying they have the wrong number. Ten years ago, smishing scams were sparse, and chances are that the person messaging you did have the wrong number, but that’s rarely the case anymore.
Cybercriminals will engage in months-long social engineering attacks to win your trust before convincing you to send them money or invest in a dodgy scheme in what’s known as apig butchering scam. According toTime, since 2020, victims worldwide have collectively lost over $75 billion.
Not only could you be bamboozled, but texting back verifies that your number is active. This could lead to your number being bundled with thousands of others and sold on the dark web, making you the target of even more scam messages.
Also, be sure not to click on any links. These links could be malware or lead you to a fake website where your credentials will then be stolen.
Stop Giving Out Your Number
The only reason you’re a victim ofsmishing scamsis because a criminal has your number. Create a smaller digital footprint by never giving out your digits. Companies love collecting and then selling your personal information. If you give your number to one company, chances are high that they will sell it to another. Criminals may purchase phone numbers legally from data brokers or on the dark web.
Smishing messages are increasingly common and sophisticated, but so are the tools and practices used to identify and block them. Using the tools and following the tips we’ve detailed can significantly reduce the risk of being a victim of a smishing attack.
