variants
or less commonly SMiShing
: the practice of sending text messages to someone in order to trick the person into revealing personal or confidential information which can then be used for criminal purposes
Don't get too excited if you receive a text message announcing you've won a gift card from a big retailer. Chances are it's smishing—or scams perpetrated by text messages.—
Emily Glazer
Emily GlazerSmishing is essentially phishing ported to mobile devices and typically arrives in the form of a text message suggesting the user has signed up for a service, and will be charged until they cancel using a web site. The site then prompts the user to click on a link, which actually triggers the download of a Trojan horse …—Computing
Computingcalled also SMS phishing
compare phishingExamples of smishing in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s because the phishing, smishing (SMS phishing), and vishing (video phishing) attempts now sound far more credible and can be replicated across many targets with minimal effort.
—Kal De, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
As a result, smishing has been on the rise in recent years.
—Matt Burgess, WIRED, 8 Aug. 2024
The company had previously found a separate SQL injection in the group’s smishing kits and provided Smith with a copy of the tool.
—Matt Burgess, WIRED, 8 Aug. 2024
More specifically, hackers behind the ‘smishing’ attempt — the term often used for phishing attacks sent via text messages — seem to be trying to get your Apple ID login, Macworld and 9to5Mac have reported.
—Addy Bink, The Hill, 9 July 2024
Where's the best place to earn interest for savers?
Be careful of this road-toll smishing scam.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Be careful of this road-toll smishing scam.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) said in a press release last week, which USPS posted on X Tuesday, that this type of text is a scam called smishing—a form of phishing involving a text or phone number.
—Chantelle Lee, TIME, 11 June 2024
Teaching employees how to spot and avoid common phishing, smishing and other social engineering attacks can greatly reduce breaches caused by the human element.
—Chris Novak, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
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Kal De, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
As a result, smishing has been on the rise in recent years.
—Matt Burgess, WIRED, 8 Aug. 2024
The company had previously found a separate SQL injection in the group’s smishing kits and provided Smith with a copy of the tool.
—Matt Burgess, WIRED, 8 Aug. 2024
More specifically, hackers behind the ‘smishing’ attempt — the term often used for phishing attacks sent via text messages — seem to be trying to get your Apple ID login, Macworld and 9to5Mac have reported.
—Addy Bink, The Hill, 9 July 2024
Where's the best place to earn interest for savers?
Be careful of this road-toll smishing scam.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Be careful of this road-toll smishing scam.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) said in a press release last week, which USPS posted on X Tuesday, that this type of text is a scam called smishing—a form of phishing involving a text or phone number.
—Chantelle Lee, TIME, 11 June 2024
Teaching employees how to spot and avoid common phishing, smishing and other social engineering attacks can greatly reduce breaches caused by the human element.
—Chris Novak, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023
Dictionary Entries Near smishing
Cite this Entry
“Smishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smishing. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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