The other day I received a text message on my phone that said:
"WELLS FARGO ALERT: Your CARD starting with 4868 has been DEACTIVATED. Please contact us at : (local phone number)."
Well, I don't have a Wells Fargo account, so that brings suspicion right away. So I DID NOT call that number.
On Friday, the Washington State Attorney General's Office issued a warning to the public about "smishing" schemes. Smishing is a take off of "phishing". A phishing scheme sends out emails that claim that there is problem with your account or that there is a hot offer. They want you to click on the link provided. If you do, you might be directed to a web page that looks like a legitimate company's web page. This fake web page will ask for personal information like your SSN, account number, etc. The link could also download, without you knowing it, malware that takes your personal information, including id's and passwords off of your hard drive.
(Attorney General press release: http://www.atg.wa.gov/pressrelease.aspx?&id=29042)
(Article from The Herald: http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20111010/BIZ/710109921#New-con-via-text-message)
Smishing is merely phishing migrating to your text messaging on your cell phone.
This round of smishing started in Oregon, Utah and South Dakota about a month ago and migrated to Washington, Colorado and Iowa last week.
(Article from MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44846369/ns/business-consumer_news/t/western-us-hit-smishing-bank-scam/)
Local law enforcement authorities usually do not have authority to investigate or prosecute phishing or smishing scams. If you have been victimized by a phishing or smishing scheme make a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm.
(Attorney General press release: http://www.atg.wa.gov/pressrelease.aspx?&id=29042)
(Article from The Herald: http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20111010/BIZ/710109921#New-con-via-text-message)
Smishing is merely phishing migrating to your text messaging on your cell phone.
This round of smishing started in Oregon, Utah and South Dakota about a month ago and migrated to Washington, Colorado and Iowa last week.
(Article from MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44846369/ns/business-consumer_news/t/western-us-hit-smishing-bank-scam/)
Local law enforcement authorities usually do not have authority to investigate or prosecute phishing or smishing scams. If you have been victimized by a phishing or smishing scheme make a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm.
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