A wave of fraud is raging again in Germany. Fraudsters try to put malware on your mobile phone via SMS. She uses your smartphone to send more text messages and steal your data.
After the first wave of this scam swept through Germany a month ago , things are now starting again. SMS with fraudulent content are being sent in large numbers. Not only the consumer advice centers, but also the police warn against opening the links stored in it. We’ll show you how to recognize and prevent SMS fraud.
Voicemail message is a trap
According to the behind the link that North Hesse police, there is an app , after downloading and installing it, gives fraudsters access to your mobile phone. To do this, it spreads itself through your SMS function in your contact list.
What is perfidious about it is that it disguises itself as something everyday. Because the text of the SMS varies between “On [date] at [time] a voicemail message was left for you. Please visit [Link] “and simply” New Voicmail: [Link] “. The fact that users often get voice messages on their smartphones or cell phones becomes a trap here. Because in the heat of the moment it is easy to overlook the fact that the number sent by the SMS does not match the number that normally the mailbox writes messages.
Mailbox Scam: How To Know How To Know It
And that’s the first clear sign to look out for. Because the number of the mailbox messages is always the same with your provider. At for example, Telekom , this is the number 3311. The text is standardized and is always the same. Errors like the one in this screenshot of such an SMS that we received in the editorial office are a clear sign:
But there are other signs of SMS fraud. Because your provider will never ask you to download an app for voicemails or the mailbox. Unless you are a very experienced user, you should not download any apps from unknown sources. If an app cannot be found in Google’s Play Store, but only available as an APK, you should generally be careful.
How to defend yourself against SMS scams
If you receive such a text message, do not under any circumstances tap the link. Delete the SMS and if your mobile phone allows such a function, block the number for future cases. If you have already clicked on the link or if you have even installed something, cut the internet connection via “airplane mode” and exit the page or delete the app from your mobile phone. If you want to be on the safe side, you can also do the latter in safe mode. Don’t forget: also delete the downloaded file from the download folder. Then you can be sure that you have at least prevented the worst.
