In a new dangerous scam, hackers are using text messaging to lure people to click on a link.
Scam Uses Real Names
The text uses recipientsâ real names in order to make it appear more realistic and is unfortunately working.
The text says, âWe found a parcel from March owed to you. Kindly assume ownership and confirm for delivery here.â
âThe bad news is we see these giant data breaches all over the place. That information is sold from one hacker to another,â said FOX19 Tech Expert Dave Hatter. âThey buy this stuff off the dark web, and they build these giant dossiers on people.â
Hackers Sell Personal Information
If a person clicks on the link, the hackers can do a lot more than collect information on the recipient, which is bad enough in itself.
âThe bad guys collect this, they sell it, and then they use it in social engineering attacks through phishing, through smishing and these text-based messages,â said Hatter. âIn some cases, theyâll even make phone calls, and they have a lot of information about you so they can make the call seem more legitimate.â
SCAM ALERT: A scam has emerged where hackers use the recipientâs real name and direct the recipient to a potentially dangerous link , saying âWe found a parcel from March owed to you. Kindly assume ownership and confirm for delivery here.â https://t.co/xvwZJnbSy3
— WNDU (@16NewsNow) August 31, 2020
This type of scam is referred to as âsmishingâ which is just a play on SMS phishing.
How to Avoid Getting Scammed
So what should you do if you receive one of these links? Hatterâs advice is to delete or ignore the messages and make sure you donât inadvertently click on the link.
If someone is concerned about an expected packed that might have been forgotten about, they should contact the shipping company directly.