Avoid losses by taking protective measures against Smishing text messages

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2015-12-25 16:23

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Edited by Pulak at 2015-12-25 13:53

Smishing is a type of fraud that uses mobile phone text messages to lure victims into calling back on a fraudulent phone number, visiting fraudulent websites or downloading malicious content via phone or web.

How do fraudsters operate?

Step 1: Fraudsters send SMS intimating customer’s of prize money, lottery, job offers etc. and requesting them to share their Card or Account credentials.

Step 2: Unaware, the customer’s follow instructions to visit a website, call a phone number or download malicious content.

Step 3: Details thus shared with the person who initiated the SMS are then used to conduct fraudulent transactions on customer’s account, causing them financial loss.

How to protect yourself from fraud?

  • Never share your personal information or financial information via SMS, call or email.
  • Do not follow the instructions as mentioned in SMS sent from untrusted source, delete such SMS instantly.


If you receive any urgent communication asking for personal information, call PhoneBanking number, as mentioned on the reverse side of your debit/credit card or visit bank website to find the customer support number, to check if it was a legitimate communication.