T-mobile warns of 'smishing' scam targeting subscribers

A new phishing scam targeting T-Mobile customers has been identified, with attackers attempting to trick users into revealing personal information.

Smishing attack uses fake rewards message

The scam involves a text message claiming that the recipient's T-Mobile reward points are about to expire, with a link to redeem them. However, clicking on the link would likely lead to a site designed to steal credentials, allowing scammers to access the victim's financial apps and potentially wreak havoc on their accounts.

Fortunately, a T-Mobile subscriber who received one of these texts took a screenshot and questioned its legitimacy, rather than tapping the link. They called the carrier's verified phone number to verify the message and discovered that the rewards points program mentioned was not a real T-Mobile offer.

This 'smishing' attack is not exclusive to T-Mobile customers. Verizon and AT&T users have also reported receiving similar fraudulent texts purportedly from their carriers, attempting to lure them into revealing sensitive details.

To avoid falling victim to these scams, it's crucial to exercise caution when receiving unsolicited texts from your carrier. Legitimate messages from carriers typically use short codes (5- or 6-digit numbers) rather than standard phone numbers, and the links should always come from a secure, https domain (such as t-mobile.com, att.com, or verizon.com).

If you receive a suspicious text, do not click on any links, but instead forward the message to 7726, a free service offered by carriers to investigate and block spam numbers.