A New SMS Scam That Steals Data On Your Mobile

You may have received an SMS advising you that your voicemail has been changed. It is best to delete it immediately and not follow the link. This malicious message can steal data and install malware on your phone.

Fraud via SMS is on the rise and we are seeing more and better malicious campaigns using this method to deceive victims.

This is known as smishing. Recent examples include the SMS scam of Correos and the recent wave messages impersonating Spanish banks.

A new smishing operation has been discovered that aims at installing malware on mobile devices and stealing users’ personal information.

The criminals use a voice message as the hook this time. The victim is sent an SMS informing them that they have a new voicemail and attaching a link to reproduce it.

Clicking on the link will not only prevent you from hearing the message but also take you to unsecure web pages. These pages can be used to install malicious software that steals or removes personal information such as passwords and credit cards.

Although the malicious SMS message is not sent by a single sender it can be received from multiple numbers. They are linked because all the people who have been identified have the German prefix +49. Be wary of receiving SMSs with this prefix.

The National Cybersecurity Institute of (INCIBE), confirms that this is smishing. If you get a message with these characteristics, ignore it.

Voice messages left by others who called you but were unable to reach you are saved in your voice mailbox. You don’t need to click on any link to listen to them. Instead, dial the mailbox number to access them. This avoids SMSs that direct you to a page where you can play voice messages.