SMS scams are in circulation: you are at risk if you click on the link

Belgium is currently facing fraudulent messages sent via SMS. This technique is called “smiling”. There is a link in these messages. If you are unlucky enough to click on it and download the application provided to you, the thugs can access your entire phone. So it is good to be vigilant.

Text messages seem harmless at first glance. However, there are fraudulent links in them to deceive you. This is called “smashing”. One victim we interviewed in Brussels explains how she fell into the trap. “One of my acquaintances said, ‘I saw you in this video, click on the link’ and voila“, She agrees. We ask her if she clicked.”Unfortunately yes“.

For example, she received an SMS informing her that a package was coming, although she did not order anything, another witness explains to us.

They will play on our emotions

The method is classic, but it can be effective. Cybercriminals make very realistic demands to pique your interest. “They have an appearance that is similar to what one would get from this type of structure. Reflex is clicking on yourself saying ‘oh, it’s on the way’. It is at this level that we need to be especially careful because they will play into our emotions“, Said Olivier Bogard, commissioner of the Federal Police Computer Crime Division.

Malware

The final advice, of course, is not to click, determine if the SMS request is right for you. Often, these messages impersonate officials, a bank or a distribution service. “We clearly play by the fact that many people order online, so they get messages, for example bpost, DHL, in which they say the package is on its way. But to consult, they need to download the relevant application“, Oliver Bogard explains.

By downloading the app, you unknowingly install the software. This not only allows you to retrieve your data, but also access your phonebook to send the same SMS to all your contacts.