The expansion of the digital space has made life convenient for both businesses and individuals. Online transactions, social networks, automated processes, and cloud computing are the main parts of digital evolution. These activities, however, have led to an alarming surge in cybercrime that continues to develop new forms of attacks and techniques. According to the 2022 Internet Crime Report, individuals and organizations experienced losses of at least $10 billion. This is alarming.

Phishing and smishing are some of the most common cyber attacks that target unsuspecting victims to reveal their sensitive information. These techniques have the same goals but differ in their communication methods. You can protect yourself effectively by knowing the key differences between these malicious attacks. 

This blog post discusses the differences between phishing and smishing and the best ways to protect yourself. 

Phishing Explained 

Hackers send socially engineered email messages to recipients, tempting them to open the emails. The messages usually have attached malicious files or links that, when opened or clicked, compromise the recipient’s security. Scammers mainly do this because they want access to people’s financial details or personal information. 

Phishing attacks come in various forms, and knowing them will help you to be prepared. The most common one is email phishing. How does it work? Scammers send deceiving emails to businesses or individuals, pretending to be coming from government agencies, financial institutions, or any other reputable sources. A sense of urgency in these emails forces recipients to click on malicious links or download attachments.  

Spear phishing is another form of phishing. It involves tailored messages targeting specific companies or individuals. Attackers research and gather information about their targets, making it easier to send personalized messages. This leads to recipients revealing their personal or financial information without any second thoughts that it can be stolen. 

Another form of phishing is whaling. Unlike email phishing and spear phishing, whaling targets top-level executives. Attackers impersonate colleagues or contacts to deceive these executives into doing financial transactions or revealing confidential business information. 

Lastly, hackers use vishing—or voice vishing—to deceive individuals. They impersonate customer service representatives, banks, parcel delivery services, or any legitimate entity to trick people into revealing their information via the phone. The caller’s voice or tone usually portrays urgency to force an individual to take immediate action.

How to Prevent Phishing

Phishing techniques can help attackers gain access to confidential personal or business information. This information includes financial details, login credentials, or corporate data. To mitigate the risks of phishing attacks, you can do the following: 

• Avoid clicking on links from unknown people. Visit the company’s website to check its authenticity. A legitimate organization uses a domain name that matches the company’s name.
• Do not provide your financial information to people you don’t know and trust. Urgent emails asking for financial or personal data should arouse suspicion. If you are not sure about the email, call the organization directly to verify the request. 
• Install antivirus and anti-malware software on your devices. They will detect and block any malware before you open the email. 

Understanding Smishing

Smishing is similar to phishing, but attackers use text messages. A text can have a fraudulent link that directs the victim to a form designed to steal their information. Alternatively, the link may download ransomware, viruses, spyware, or other malware onto the victim’s device. 

Attackers send urgent text messages that appear to be from reputable organizations. For example, they may ask you to track a missing parcel or state that a large amount of money has been debited from your bank account. Many people who take quick action to solve such issues become victims of these scams. 

There are several types of smishing attacks out there. Scammers can use malicious link messages with a short URL in the text message. Clicking the link directs the recipient to a malicious website that will steal their personal information or infect their device.

Another common type of smishing is the prize or lottery scam. Cyber attackers send text messages claiming the victim has won a prize or lottery. They lure the recipient to pay a fee or provide personal information in exchange for the prize, leading to identity theft or financial loss.   

Sometimes, scammers will send smishing messages by impersonating representatives of financial institutions. These financial scams entice people to reveal their login credentials and banking details, which results in fraud.  

Urgency is the main giveaway of smishing. The message can entice the recipient to take action to avoid undesirable consequences. It includes threatening the person to make a payment or reveal financial information.  

Preventing Smishing Attacks

Use the following tactics to avoid smishing attacks: 

• Use Nuwber, a people search website, to see who stands behind a phone number. It will help you understand whether you are dealing with the person you know or if it is someone you should stay away from.
• Don’t share your phone number with just anyone. Sharing it on public platforms increases the likelihood of being targeted by smishing attacks. 
• Don’t respond. This is the easiest yet the most effective way to avoid falling for smishing. Scammers may entice you to reply to a message or interact with it in any way. However, don’t do it. The consequences will be harder to deal with. Identity theft is among the most dangerous ones. According to Exploding Topics, 1 in 3 Americans experience identity theft, which results in scammers committing crimes in their victims’ names.

Conclusion

Cyber threats are escalating, making it crucial for individuals to always be on guard. You can protect yourself by understanding the differences between these cybercrime techniques and learning how they are implemented.

Whether it’s an alluring email or a text message from an unrecognizable person, be alert. Verify the source, avoid clicking on links from unknown people, do not reply to suspicious messages, and never act in haste. The consequences can be severe, starting with data breaches and ending with identity theft.

The above-mentioned steps will prevent you from becoming the next victim of phishing and smishing.