In the News -- Smishing Is New Way to Scam Your Info

Smishing is a new way to steal your personal information, reports Roni Proter of CW33, Ch. 33, Dallas - Fort Worth. Smishing is a combination of phishing which refers to sending fake messages and SMS which refers to text messages.

Scammers send text messages that appear to be from well-known businesses, trying to get victims to click on a link. The Walmart name appears in some smishing messages.  

"It looks like it's somebody from Walmart, but it's not.  It's designed to get you to a site where they steal information," says Jeannette Kopko, spokesperson for BBB serving Dallas and Northeast Texas.

Walmart has an alert about the scam on its website:
http://www.walmartstores.com/PrivacySecurity/10840.aspx?p=9620

If you receive a text that you believe is fake, don't click on the link. You can report it to the Spam Reporting Service by texting "7726" spelling SPAM to your mobile service provider. You will receive a message back asking for information to identify the source of the spam. See
http://www.gsma.com/technicalprojects/gsma-spam-reporting-services/

To see the story about smishing on CW33, click here:
http://www.the33tv.com/news/kdaf-smishing-the-new-way-to-scam-your-info-20120504,0,7072208.story