Fraudsters send text messages purporting to be from a bank, government department or company. The aim of the scam is to obtain a credit card number with the relevant security code, or to persuade the victim to make a payment.
Remember that banks, government departments and companies will never ask you to follow a link sent by text message and enter your personal information or make a payment. If you have any doubts, contact the government department, bank or company in question.
To avoid becoming a victim of a phishing attempt, it is important to follow the following advice:
- Never share personal information and data that you are asked for via email, SMS or other messaging services.
- Never click on a link that has been sent to you from an unknown source.
- Beware of messages that urge you to react quickly or that ask you to provide personal data.
- Always check whether the message is addressed to you personally, or whether it contains mistakes or mistranslations.
- Be aware that serious organisations and companies never ask you to send personal data via e-mail.
- If the origin of a message is unclear or if you have any doubts, do not hesitate to contact the respective organisation.
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