Phishing Scammers Turn To Text Messages

Same scam, different medium

By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com

March 14, 2008

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Phishing emails are so 2006. Now, really cool scammers have turned to cell phone texting to target their victims.

Oregon-based Bank of the Cascades has issued a warning, saying bank customers and non-customers alike have been targeted in a fraudulent phishing scam sent via a text message. The delivery system is new, the message is not.

The message – much like the ones delivered through spam emails, warns the recipient their account has been compromised and tells them to call a toll-free number. Recipients who call the number are then told to enter their account number and PIN, or password.

"This is an attempt to obtain your personal information," the bank warns.

Using text messages to "phish" for personal information appears to be a relatively new scheme. Bank of the Cascades says the same scam has also been directed at other banks in the Northwestern U.S., but this has not been independently verified. Bank of the Cascades says you should treat this threat as you would one from any other source.

"Call your cell phone service provider immediately to alert them of the fraud and discuss their recommendations for handling scam text messages," the bank advised.

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