How to Prevent Smishing and Protect Your Business

With technological advancements occurring quickly, it's only natural that security threats are also evolving rapidly. In fact, cybercriminals are constantly developing new techniques to compromise user data. Among these threats is smishing, a deceptive practice that targets users through SMS.

In this article, we will see what is smishing and phishing and show you how to prevent smishing through best practices and tools.

What Does Smishing Mean?

Smishing Definition

Now that we have the answer to "What does smishing mean", we will dig a bit deeper to reveal how this attack works. In most cases, smishing messages will contain a call to action, such as clicking on a link, downloading a file, or calling a phone number. These texts are crafted to manipulate users, which makes them even more dangerous than regular spam texts.

Comparison with Phishing

But what are smishing and phishing and how are they any different? In general, phishing is a broader term than smishing, as it covers various types of digital attacks. However, one of their most basic differences is the channel in which they take place. Smishing happens in SMS, while phishing typically happens in email or social media. This difference makes smishing more cunning and dangerous compared to phishing, as users can't always tell the deception just by the limited character limit of an SMS.

Examples of Smishing Attacks

You might be wondering "Why are smishing attacks particularly effective? Can't people tell that it's a scam?" Well, these examples will show you that it's not always that simple.

Here are some of the best examples to understand what does smishing mean:

If you want more insights into similar SMS threats, check out EngageLab's guide on SMS spoofing.

Why Are Smishing Attacks Particularly Effective?

The problem with smishing attacks is that they bring significant results to scammers. So, why are smishing attacks particularly effective? In this section, we will try to answer this question and bring to light the key factors that contribute to the success of smishing.

In more detail, smishing attacks deceive users for these reasons:

• Direct, Immediate Access : Text messages appear directly on users' mobile phones, which they always carry around. Moreover, they often produce a notification sound that is difficult to miss. What's even better for scammers is that there is no spam folder, ensuring that users will always see the text, thus increasing the chance of falling for the cyber-attack.
• Impersonation of Trusted Sources : Another thing that makes smishing attacks so effective is that they appear they come from trusted sources. The attackers often spoof phone numbers to disguise the origin of the message and make it seem as realistic as possible. This way, users think that their bank has indeed contacted them to update their info, thus never questioning why they need to input their credentials.
• Limited Information : Compared to emails, text messages lack much of the context that would help users identify it as a scam. The short character limit allows scammers to craft convincing messages that look legitimate and trustworthy. Only super cautious users can tell these messages apart without first scrutinizing them for hints.
• User Reliance on Mobile Devices : It is an undeniable truth that nowadays users carry their mobile phones all the time. Therefore, a text message will surely find them no matter where they are and what they might be doing. Furthermore, users are accustomed to handling various sensitive activities on their phones and scammers are more likely to deceive them.

How to Prevent Smishing

As you can understand, smishing is a threat to both individuals and businesses. In this part, we will show you how to prevent smishing as an individual user and as a company.

1. General Best Practices for Individuals

• Exercise Caution with Unknown Senders: Sometimes you will receive messages from unknown senders. In these cases, question the messages, especially if they claim to be from familiar companies. Avoid clicking on links or calling numbers in these texts and try to think of reasons why you might have received the alert.
• Guard Sensitive Information: The truth is that reputable companies will never request personal details through SMS. If you are asked for your password or account number, verify the request by contacting the organization directly. Only when you are sure, provide your sensitive information.
• Report Suspicious Messages: Most mobile carriers will offer some way to report suspicious messages. By reporting these fraudulent numbers to them, you are helping them prevent future attacks on you and other unsuspicious users.

2. The Role of Technology in Smishing Prevention

While being cautious as an individual will help you stay safe from smishing, you can also employ technology to help you identify and block these attacks.

Software Recommendations

First of all, you can find a variety of anti-phishing and cybersecurity apps. These will help you detect smishing attempts so that you can avoid them without having to identify any signs. In more detail, these apps analyze SMS content, scan it for suspicious links or keywords, and block the messages that get flagged. Some software we recommend are:

• Lookout Mobile Security
• Kaspersky Mobile Antivirus
• SMS Shield by Trend Micro
• Avast Mobile Security
• IBM Security Trusteer Mobile

3. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

MFA is an excellent safeguard against phishing and smishing attacks. Multi-factor authentication requires an additional verification factor, such as a one-time password sent to the user's phone, a fingerprint, or face recognition. This way, the practice ensures that even if a scammer obtains your login details, they won't be able to access your account. As a business, you can also set up OTP to protect your customers and gain their trust.

How EngageLab Enhances Smishing Prevention

Every business now has the option to contribute significantly to smishing prevention by utilizing secure messaging platforms that prioritize user protection. With so many tools available, you can find the one that matches your security requirements. EngageLab, as a leading messaging solution, offers several features that make SMS communication safer and more reliable for you and your customers.

EngageLab is a comprehensive platform that provides a range of messaging services, such as SMS, in-app notifications, email, and other communication channels. Its emphasis on security ensures a safe environment that reduces the risk of smishing attacks. For this reason, it is an excellent choice for businesses that want to interact with their audience effectively without worrying about compromising their data.

What also makes EngageLab an attractive option for businesses is its dynamic pricing model. This means that you can pay for only the messages you will need to send to your audience, regardless of the channel. Go to EngageLab's pricing page , enter how many SMS, email, in-app notifications, etc you will need to send per month, and get customized pricing for your company's needs. For instance, one SMS in the US will cost you just $0.01.

One of the top services that EngageLab offers is undoubtedly its SMS product. This customizable, secure platform is ideal for all businesses that want to manage their SMS communications with added protection. EngageLab provides you with detailed documentation that you can follow to configure the product to meet your specific needs.

Here are the steps to sending your first SMS with this tool:

• Step1: Authentication

  Create sending authorization and obtain SMS_ USER and SMS_ KEY.



• Step2: Sign

  Create an SMS Sign that you will later use in your SMS templates. In reality, this is your SMS signature that shows who you are to the recipient. To make your text feel trustworthy, we recommend that you use your product name, website name, app name, or company name as your SMS signature.



• Step3: Template

  Create an SMS template and submit it for approval. Even though you will have to wait until you can use your template, this is one of the features that make EngageLab so trustworthy. In the SMS template audit, the platform's experts evaluate its content to prevent the spread of harmful information.



When the template is approved, test the sending function by going to Send Related Test. In this, you will be able to view the SMS just like the users will get it. Make sure to place your SMS Sign at the front to show them that the text is from a trustworthy source.

Features That Can Detect and Mitigate Smishing Attempts

EngageLab's security-focused features give you the peace of mind that your communications will protect your and your customers' most sensitive data. Here is how the platform empowers businesses to mitigate the threat of smishing:

• Unusual Activity Monitoring

  With EngageLab's advanced statistics, you can detect any unusual behaviors that would indicate that something is going wrong. When you spot unusual messaging patterns, you can take preventative measures on time.



• User Authentication

  EngageLab offers tools for implementing multi-factor authentication. You can take advantage of its OTP service to easily send one-time codes to your customers to verify their identity. We recommend this feature when you need to handle your users' sensitive data and transactions.



• SMS Block List

  To reduce the invalid sending of mobile numbers, thus protecting you, EngageLab performs interception processing based on the sending results provided by the operator. This interception time differs depending on the reason for failure. For instance, a "Send Failed Blacklist" will lead to a one-hour interception time. Moreover, users can delete their records from this list, which adds to their protection and privacy.

• Frequency Control Management

  In the push notification setting, EngageLab has introduced a frequency control setting function to set a limit to the notifications you can send to your audience.



As you can see, this list of features, as well as its versatile pricing, make EngageLab a particularly useful tool for B-side enterprises. B2B businesses deal with other businesses, therefore they want to ensure a secure environment for their clients. This scalable messaging solution brings everything they might be asked to maintain the quality of their services.

The Bottom Line

Now you know how to prevent smishing and what it takes to be proactive against these cyber-attacks that harm your business and your customers. EngageLab, with its advanced security features and reliable SMS platform, empowers you to deliver safe, trustworthy, and top-notch messages to your audience. Sign up for EngageLab today to elevate your communications!

Get Started For Free Get Discounts