Smishing: how to protect your customers from SMS scams
What smishing is, how scammers impersonate businesses by text, and the habits that help customers trust your real messages.
·2 min read
Smishing is phishing by text message. Scammers send texts pretending to be banks, delivery companies, insurers or local businesses, hoping people will tap a link or share personal details.
Every scam that succeeds makes customers more suspicious of legitimate texts. Businesses can reduce that suspicion with predictable, transparent messaging.
How scammers imitate businesses
Smishing messages usually create urgency, such as a locked account, an unpaid toll or a missed delivery, and include a link to a fake site. They often use shortened links and generic greetings, and ask for passwords, payment details or codes.
Habits that make your texts trustworthy
Always name your business, text from the same registered number, use links on your own domain, and never ask for passwords, full card numbers or verification codes by text. Tell customers what you will and will not send, for example in your welcome message.
- ✓Name your business in every message.
- ✓Text from one consistent, registered number.
- ✓Use links on your own domain only.
- ✓Never request passwords or codes by text.
If someone impersonates you
Warn customers through your website, social channels and your own text list, explaining what real messages from you look like. Customers can report scam texts by forwarding them to 7726 (SPAM) in the US, and you can report impersonation to your texting provider and to the FTC.
Key takeaways
- →Smishing uses urgency and fake links to steal details.
- →Consistent, branded texts help customers spot fakes.
- →Never ask for passwords, codes or card numbers by text.
- →Warn customers quickly if scammers impersonate you.
Put this into practice with Text2Sale
Import leads, create follow-up campaigns, organize replies, and connect texting, calling, and appointments in one workspace.
Frequently asked questions
What is 7726?
It spells SPAM on a keypad. Most US carriers let customers forward suspicious texts to 7726 to report them.
Should businesses avoid links entirely?
No, but use your own domain so customers can see where a link goes.