What is smishing and how is it different from phishing?
Short answer
Smishing is phishing sent by SMS or messaging apps instead of email. The goal is the same, stealing passwords, money or personal data, but texts feel more personal and urgent, and phones make it harder to inspect a link before tapping it.
The details
Common smishing lures include delivery fees, bank fraud alerts, toll or parking fines, account lockouts and prize notifications. Many use short links so you cannot see the destination.
Treat any text that asks you to tap a link and sign in or pay as unverified. Contact the organization through its official app or a number you already trust.
Useful next reads and tools
Terms explained
- Smishing
- Smishing is phishing delivered by SMS or messaging apps, often posing as couriers, banks, toll agencies or government services.
- Phishing
- Phishing is a fraudulent message, usually email, that impersonates a trusted sender to trick people into revealing credentials, paying money or running malware.
Sources
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