Fake Text 'Smishing' Crimes, Even Impersonating Obituary Messages
"Clicking Suspicious Links May Lead to Financial Loss"
The crime of 'smishing,' which steals personal information through fake text messages, is becoming increasingly sophisticated, and this time, there has even been a case impersonating condolence messages, requiring special caution.
Recently, a text message saying, "We regret to inform you that your father passed away this morning," was randomly sent to about 200 acquaintances, including fellow public officials, from the mobile phone number of Mr. A, a public official at a district office in Ulsan.
The message also included a URL that appeared to contain the address of a funeral hall. However, this message was not an actual condolence message, and the attached link was identified as a fake link created to infect mobile phones with malware.
Mr. A recently received a condolence message from an acquaintance and clicked the link, which caused the same message to be sent to contacts saved on Mr. A’s phone.
A smishing text impersonating an obituary received by a public official at a district office in Ulsan. [Image source=Yonhap News]
The police advised that to prevent smishing damage impersonating acquaintances through condolence messages or wedding invitations, it is best not to click on URLs from the start. A Ulsan Police Agency official said, "They infect a single mobile phone, turning it into a so-called 'zombie phone,' and then send mass text messages to contacts to make them click the link," adding, "Clicking the link can hack the phone and cause financial damage, such as unauthorized money withdrawals."
He continued, "It is best not to click suspicious links, and if you have already clicked, you should quickly inform your acquaintances," adding, "Installing an app called 'Citizen Conan,' developed by the National Police Agency, can help prevent smishing damage."
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