Security threats Toolkit

Cisco reports rise in text-message scams

Elinor Mills CNET News

Published: 15 Jul 2009 15:28 BST

People who are resistant to email phishing scams are falling victim to fake text messages, according to a security report released on Tuesday by Cisco.

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

In many of the scams, SMS messages direct recipients to call a telephone number where an automated message prompts them to provide login details or account numbers and PINs. Other messages provide a URL that leads to a phishing site that looks legitimate.

Specific scams have targeted mobile-phone users in Fargo, North Dakota, along with customers of First Community Credit Union and Buffalo Metropolitan Federal Credit Union in New York and customers 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 email or the web," said Patrick Peterson, Cisco's chief security researcher.

Cybercriminals are also growing increasingly sophisticated and borrowing from real-world business models. For instance, researchers have encountered a service called VirTest, which will test malware and viruses against products from the major antivirus vendors for a fee, Peterson said.

Credit: Cisco: Text message scams on the rise from CNET News