By now, most of us are familiar with phishing, the practice of sending emails that appear as if they are from legitimate companies that try to get recipients to divulge personal information like passwords or credit card numbers. Smishing is a similar practice that utilizes decoy text messages instead of fake emails.
Hackers send a text message asking you to click on a link. If you click, you will be directed to a fake website asking for personal information, or the website will try to download malicious software onto your device to track everything you do.
Vishing (or “voice fishing”) involves the use of fraudulent phone numbers and voice-altering software to trick a person into divulging information during a phone call.
In August 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a report warning hospitals about this growing cyberattack trend. Common smishing attacks play on emotion by urging the recipient to act on impulse and provide information quickly before something bad happens. The emails appear to be from trusted sources such as FedEx saying they are trying to deliver a package and you need to click on a link to set delivery preferences. Smishing tactics can allow hackers to access usernames, passwords, credit cards and social security numbers.