The National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) released a warning yesterday about a phone text message scam that is circulating in Slovakia just now.
The rip-off called “mishing”, compiled from the words ‘mobile’ and ‘phishing’, consists of you receiving a text message to your phone asking that you settle some fictitious amount that is owed to your bank or other financial institution. Everything seems in order except the bank account you send the money to has nothing to do with your bank.
The NBS therefore recommends people to check back with their bank to make sure the SMS came from them. The same fraud is pretty widespread already in the Czech Republic, says the NBS, with a typical example of the text being something like “You have an outstanding debt of CZK …… Please pay as soon as possible to the account number ……….”.
Mishing
‘Mishing’ is a combination of the words mobile phone and phishing. Mishing is very similar to phishing the only difference is the technology. Phishing involves the use of emails to trick you into providing your personal details, whereas mishing involves mobile phones. If you use your mobile phone for purchasing goods and services and convenient banking, you could be more vulnerable to a mishing scam.
A typical mishing call or message involves a scammer, posing as an employee from your bank or another organization, claiming to need your personal details.
Scammers are very creative and they could tell you many different reasons why they need this information from you perhaps to verify your account or maybe to authorize a purchase you have made on your mobile.
Source: http://www.1stsecuritybank.com