US Banks Targeting British Columbia Business Owners

Businesses in British Columbia are reporting an increase in US-based banks targeting them with fraudulent SMS messages in recent weeks. Phishing efforts, or spam texts, fool the receiver into giving their financial or personal information. It's not uncommon for the text message to have an embedded link that takes the receiver to a fake website that closely resembles the genuine thing.

The fraudsters may then access the victim's account and take their money once the victim has entered their login details. Businesses in British Columbia are encouraged to look for this sort of scam, which is growing more widespread.

HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOURSELF

1. Don't interact
Having an opponent with no name or face may be frightening, particularly when we rely on technology to do our jobs, enjoy ourselves, and remain in touch with others we care about. Avoiding interaction is the greatest defence against robocalls and spam text messages. Keep your distance from both the human and the machine. Interacting with the messages alerts fraudsters that your phone number is active, making you a possible victim.

2. Never click a link
SMS phishing is when a scammer sends you a text message asking for your response or your click on a link leading to a malicious website that seems to be an official one to steal your data or install harmful software on your phone. Some spammers use fake phone numbers to make it seem like they are communicating with you directly.

Don't communicate with SMS scammers; never click on any links they provide you. Don't open links from websites you don't know or trust, even if they seem to be from reputable sources like news organizations. In addition, you should maintain tabs on the organizations to whom you've granted authorization to send SMS messages. Text message notifications from your pharmacy, for example, may have been an option for you to be notified as soon as your prescription is available. A trustworthy number may be saved as a contact, or you can learn how to recognize them.

Legal businesses will never SMS you a request to give them your bank account details. Suppose you have any doubts about the authenticity of the communication. In that case, you should contact the firm directly through a phone number you are sure is valid or via the company's official website.

3. Be cautious when replying STOP
Before, you could reply with "STOP" to unsubscribe yourself from a company's SMS program if you didn't like receiving messages from them.

Even when you've gotten a spammy text from a fraudster, you're unlikely to be removed from the scammer's messaging list since the scammer is likely trying to breach the law. Response to the scammer might expose your phone number to future spam messages.

You may respond with STOP if you are sure the communication came from a legitimate, ethical company. If unsure, the best course of action is to ignore the content and go on to the next stage.

4. Delete the message and block the number
It's impossible to eliminate unwanted robocalls or spam texts unless you give up your phone, and for most people, that's not an option. Blocking the numbers as soon as they come through is the best way to prevent additional spam calls and texts.

Blocking a specific phone number from calling you or sending a message is an option on almost every new phone. It's a whack-a-mole game since fraudsters regularly change their phone numbers, but it's still worth barring the number from contacting you in the future.

5. Report the spam message to the relevant authorities
From the messaging app itself, you may easily report a spam message to your phone's manufacturer to assist them in improving spam detection and law enforcement.

You may block a discussion by opening the Messages app, tapping the chat, and then tapping Block.

If you get a text message from a number you don't recognize, you may tap the "Report Junk" button underneath the message to send it to Apple, but this will not block the sender's phone number. The number must still be blocked.

6. Use a third-party spam text and call blocker
A spam-blocking program from a third-party developer may be helpful as a last resort.

In addition to enhancing your phone's caller ID, these applications use vast blocklists of spam numbers to automatically filter calls and texts in real-time and other blocking capabilities. Apps with more sophisticated features and customer support are available for a monthly or annual cost, although others are free with few frills.

HOW PHISHING OPERATES

Does your insurance company, bank, or government ever send you emails or texts that seem to come out of nowhere? If so, do they need that you act immediately and provide any relevant links or attachments? In reality, most professional organizations you rely on only allow you to use email to confirm your identification. As a result, any emails you get stating that you must take immediate action to prevent going to prison for unpaid debt are entirely fake.

Phishing attempts can come via SMS, social media, email, or even phone calls. They are, unfortunately, a continual source of frustration for today's computer users, and if not dealt with appropriately, they may be downright dangerous.

HOW COLEMAN TECHNOLOGIES CAN HELP YOU DEAL WITH SPAM MESSAGES

Most company owners spend a significant amount of time daily monitoring their email and reacting to potential customers, clients or workers. Due to the ubiquity of spam, email communication suffers from a significant flaw. Your time and money may be better spent elsewhere if your firm employs the most basic spam prevention measures.

Spam problems should not be common for ordinary small or medium-sized organizations. A complete spam prevention solution from Coleman Technologies is intended to prevent spam from ever reaching your inbox. You and your team will be able to focus on your work instead of spending time sifting through endless mountains of spam.

Cybersecurity is a never-ending endeavour. Contact our IT experts at Coleman Technologies now for guidance on training your personnel or other security measures you may use to protect your infrastructure and data.