A Current Criminal Scam You Should Know About!
Consumer advocates are currently warning of a new massive “smishing” in mobile phones. It comes from “SMS” and “phishing”. Criminals send fake text messages from parcel services or banks. Its goal: to “touch” all the data of the owner of the cell phone.
An example of a fake message from an unknown sender. Don’t click the link.Photo: Private
Wrong: If you click on the link, all cell phone contacts will also receive the fraudulent SMS (pyramid scheme).
Oliver Buttler (44) from the consumer advice center in Baden-Württemberg: “Sometimes it is said that the SMS come from DHL or Amazon, at the moment it is mainly the Volksbanks that are affected.”
Seven important tips:
► Never open link.
► Delete SMS immediately.
► Never enter data (such as account number).
► Check device with antivirus protection.
► Only use shipment tracking on the parcel service side.
► Do not call back.
► Check with customer service if the SMS is genuine.
Was the link clicked?
► Phone immediately in “airplane mode” (stops data flow).
► Get evidence (such as screenshots) and report it to the police.
► Reboot the phone in safe mode and uninstall the malicious app if possible.
► In the worst case, reset the device to the delivery state.
► Inform the mobile network provider.