ALL phone owners need to watch out for dangerous texts that empty your bank – and they may already be lurking on your phone.
Speaking to The U.S. Sun, a leading cyber-expert revealed the “red flag” messages you need to watch out for.
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Your iPhone and Android can be a valuable doorway into your private life for hackers.
Clever scams or malware could steal your personal info to blackmail or defraud you, steal your money, and more.
And often these attacks come via text message, according to Erich Kron, security awareness advocate at KnowBe4.
One red flag is that you’re sent urgent or threatening texts without any pleasantries.
“When it comes to text messages, we are used to partaking in short, quick conversations,” Kron told us.
“Scammers know this and use it against us by limiting small talk and communication that might otherwise make us realize that the person on the other end of the conversation is not who we think they are.
“Knowing this, attackers often send messages with short, to the point instructions that are often driven by urgency.”
A second warning sign is when you’re asked to hand over personal information.
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In particular, scammers will often ask you for a code that has been texted to you.
This may seem innocent, but it may be a two-factor authentication code that allows crooks to log in to your online app accounts.
“Any text message that’s asking you to provide a code should be met with scepticism and should be a red flag, especially if you have not initiated a login where a multi-factor login code would be expected,” Kron warned.
“Bad actors will pose as technical support, or even someone from a bank contacting people under the guise of security, saying they need to confirm that the system is working.
“What the victim doesn’t know is the attackers already have their username and password, then when they have the victim in a text messaging conversation, they initiate a login.”
The final red flag is when text messages come out of the blue – and from a mystery contact.
It may be someone who claims they know you, but you’ve never spoken to them before.
Conversations may begin innocently, but you should still be extremely cautious.
“Any text message that comes unexpectedly and from an unknown number, should be very suspicious,” Kron warned.
“Many bad actors we’ll start a conversation with victims by simply sending a message that asks the victim how they’re doing.
“Or the attackers will pretend they accidentally sent a message to the wrong number, but that the victim seems nice and they want to continue a conversation.
“If you don’t know who the sender is, it is typically best to simply ignore these kinds of text messages.”
Looking out for these warning signs could save you from a costly cybersecurity nightmare.
