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Phishers get mobile - phishing hits cell phones
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Just this week, my cell phone has received numerous texts from alleged credit unions. The text states that my debit card has been frozen, and I need to call a phone number to reactivate it. I’m not even a member of a credit union (although I should be…more on that in the future).
Despite that, the first text intrigued me enough to make the call. I reached a very straightforward automated system. That was the second clue. What 21st Century bank has a straightforward automated phone system? It simply asked me for my debit card number (I pressed 0), my expiration date (again, I pressed 0) and my pin number (of course, 0). I found it almost anticlimactic when it stated that it was an invalid card number and asked me to reenter it.
Over the next few days, I received several of these text messages, allegedly from two different credit unions.
This is hardly a new scam, but it’s relatively new in text message form. The scam is called phishing. It’s typically done through emails or pop up messages, where you’ll be directed to a fraudulent but convincing looking site mimicking a bank’s or even the IRS’s. Again, the site asks for your credit/debit card number, expiration date and pin number and, or social security number. The infamous “Nigerian Prince” emails are also phishing scams. Some particularly malicious ones even appear to come from friends.
A phishing scam was first described as early as 1987, but the name was assigned in 1996 as a reference to the fact that they are “fishing” for personal financial information. Phishing has been increasing at an exponential rate. Nearly 35,000 people reported incidences of phishing to the Anti-Phishing Working Group last year. The group is only one of several that are trying to combat the epidemic, including the Federal Trade Commission. It’s doubtful that the majority of people that are targeted by phishing scams bother to even report it. One can only guess at the actual numbers of attempts. In 2007, the estimated cost of phishing in the US alone was $3.2 Billion.
There are several ways to avoid phishing scams, but the simplest advice is to never ever give out personal information over the internet or telephone, except on very trusted websites where you actually enter the web address into your browser. Your bank will never ask for your pin number. In fact, no one should ever ask for your pin number except ATMs and other cash machines. If you receive an email from a friend asking for money call them or verify it’s legit by asking them personal questions that only they would know the answer to.
I contacted the credit unions involved in my phishing scheme. I’ve chosen to leave their names out of the article, but they are aware of the situation and are working with the Federal Trade Commission to help end the schemes.
The numbers that I was asked to call from the text messages have since been disconnected.
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