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The father complained to the national cybersecurity institution (Incibe), after noticing his son’s bill was higher than normal and 120 text messages were sent from his phone to international phone numbers. The son was a victim of a scam called’smishing,’ where cybercriminals pretend to be famous burger restaurants and send fake messages offering gifts.
The boy got a first message from an unknown number. He was offered the chance to win a free gift by choosing between three options. Unknowingly, the boy signed up unannounced for a premium message service without clicking any links.
What should you do in these situations?
Incibe and the OCU (consumers’ organisation) say that it’s important to adhere to certain guidelines in order to avoid falling victim to such scams.
As a precaution, it is recommended that you do not click on links or follow suspicious SMS instructions. To prevent this, it’s recommended you don’t click on links and follow instructions in suspicious SMS.
It is also important to scan your device with an antivirus app to ensure that it’s not infected.
– Go through all of the apps installed on your device and remove any that you are not using or don’t recall installing. Check what permissions are granted.
Call the Cybersecurity helpline (017), open daily from 8am to midnight.
Keep any evidence that the deception occurred. The case should either be reported to the Internet security office, or the state’s security forces. The evidence may help you recover the money that was lost in a scam.
