Federal and New South Wales police in Australia say they’ve broken up a sophisticated SMS phishing scheme designed to collect personal details and bank login credentials. The investigation took more than a year.
It’s a rare success in the fight against unsolicited text messages, which at the most benign end come from aggressive marketers and the more pernicious end from cybercriminals.
Two men are accused of “smishing,” which is a portmanteau of SMS and phishing. Police allege the two sent tens of thousands of SMSes in one go, impersonating Australian financial institutions. The links led to phishing sites, where victims would be asked their login credentials and other personal information.
