Criminals use phishing as an entry point to install malware, gain access to login credentials, or collect personal information. Hackers follow current events and prey on the emotions of their targets to drive up click rates. The Federal Trade Commission is still warning of fraud campaigns related to COVID-19. The scams are being reported in many forms, including phishing emails and texts, robocalls, and fake social media posts. The COVID scams have shifted from cures to requests for money to get to the front of the vaccine wait list. The FBI is also warning of fake COVID antibody test scams that seek to harvest personal information from their victims.
SMS Phishing, or Smishing, continues to grow in popularity among criminals. Smishing events were up over 300% at the end of 2020, and we look for those numbers to continue to increase this year. Criminals are turning to phishing via text message because most consumers trust their text messages. We have become used to receiving two-factor authentication text messages for our banks and access to health care systems. Text messages are not typically questioned before consumers click on a link. Criminals are using this trust to their advantage. Smishing campaigns run the gamut from tax rebates, bank activity, package delivery, and Amazon. Remember, a phishing campaign usually tries to generate fear so the victim will click the link. If the message creates a sense of urgency or it is not something you would normally expect, chances are it is fake.
Tax scams are also on the rise this year. The IRS pushed Tax Day back again this year, and many states are catching up to changing last minute federal laws. The tax scams we are seeing are phone and email phishing based. Be aware of the service you are signing into to file your taxes and use multi-factor authentication if it is an option for your tax service provider. Instead of clicking a link in an email, navigate directly to the site by typing in the site address (URL).
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