Cisco: Text Message Scams On The Rise

(CNET)  This story was written by CNET's Elinor Mills.

Cyber scammers are banking on the notion that many people who might not fall for a phishing scam via e-mail may still be easy targets through their mobile phone, according to security report released Tuesday from Cisco Systems.

Text message scams are on the rise, particularly fake messages that appear to come from a legitimate bank, said the report, which covers a wide variety of cybercrime topics.

In many of the scams, the SMS messages direct the recipient to call a telephone number where an automated message prompts the caller to provide log-in ID or account number and PIN. Other messages provide a URL that leads to a phishing site looks like a legitimate site.

Specific scams have targeted cell phone users in Fargo, N.D., along with customers of First Community Credit Union and Buffalo Metropolitan Federal Credit Union in New York and of BCT Federal Credit Union in New York and Pennsylvania, the report said.

"People are giving up information through the voice channel in a way they never would do through e-mail or the Web," said Patrick Peterson, Cisco's chief security researcher.

Meanwhile, cybercriminals are continuing to get more sophisticated and borrowing from real-world business models. For instance, researchers have come across a service called VirTest that will test malware and viruses against products from the major antivirus vendors for a fee, Peterson said.

By Elinor Mills

[rf35]

I agree with eferrell2...if you're dumb enough to fall for this, then I have no pity.

[peluey]

I find it sad that people are so blind to the fact the older people are the ones that fall prey to these scams. To make comments that "you get what you deserve" is outrageous. As you age you are not the same as when you are young. Maybe your parents will fall victim to a scam and all of your inheritance will be wiped away. Would you then be so arrogant to say that You Got What You Deserved!

[hologram5]

Make sure that you reply to the message telling them your name is:
Haywood Jablowme.

[credibility2]

There is no reason to get text messages. They're generally inane and a waste of time and costly. I have this feature blocked from my cell phone and haven't any intention of reversing it. I also don't do any financial transactions on line. Even the so-called secure sites really aren't.

[eferrell2]

How many times have we all been warend not to give out that kind of information on the phone, email, text, etc. No reputable bank will ask for that info. If you're stupid enough to give it out, you get what you deserve.

[cs4466]

"purely thieves"

[John_Merritt]

If we have not learned anything about this financial crisis, it is that technology WILL BE USED in a huge way, and the masterminds are purely thiefs.

They will not be the banks or brokerages or anyone else that people have blamed for the mess we are in. Pure and simple the 'evil techno-geeks' are going to run rough shod over every network they can until they are stopped.

For very one that succeeds, he will pass it on to his friends. It is cyber-war we will be engaging in the future.

Sign me: No end in sight.