SMS Spoofing: Risks Identification & Prevention Strategies

For businesses, SMS spoofing is not merely a technical problem but also a serious reputational threat. Read this blog to analyse the key risks and strategies that can help safeguard your brand and build customer trust.

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The arms race between cybercriminals and fraud prevention software goes on. While 98% of all cyber attacks utilise social engineering strategies like SMS spoofing and phishing, fraud prevention software also advances.

Speaking of SMS spoofing, the first and most important strategy is to use the right software and keep your eyes open, aware of the threats, their origin, and the best fraud prevention techniques.

Without any further ado, let’s learn more about what SMS spoofing is and how to prevent it.

SMS Spoofing Explained

SMS spoofing is when a malicious actor makes the “Sender” field appear as if it belongs to a legitimate sender – your bank, the company you’re subscribed to, or even your friend. Unfortunately, spoofing can be so easy to perform since the SMS protocol itself lacks strict verification rules for the sender – and it’s been causing trouble for over 20 years.

While technology fraud is nothing new, SMS spoofing is among the least noticeable. Cybercriminals don’t even need access to the recipient’s device. The nature of spoofing is simple: changing the sender details and sending the message is enough.

So again, the best anti-spoofing instrument is your awareness of how it works, common sense when processing incoming messages, and robust SMS software like Phonexa.

Build a plan now to optimise and protect your SMS marketing, or book a demo to see Phonexa in action.

SMS Spoofing Under the Microscope

Unencrypted communication routes are easy to be targeted by hackers and fraudsters who can easily forge SMS messages with so-called spoofing applications. They find a weak point in the telecommunications net, and voila, they can spoof your message.

Here are some of the types of SMS spoofing you will come across:

• SMS sender spoofing – faking the sender’s ID
• SMS message spoofing – manipulating the content of the message
• Caller SMS ID spoofing – spoofing the caller’s ID to send them illegitimate messages

Here are the most common SMS spoofing techniques:

Fake Sender ID	Impersonating a trusted contact to promote (malicious) links or other promotional stuff	URGENT: To get your reward, click this link.
Bulk Spam Messages	Fake offers, threats, or requests for help to steal the recipient’s money	Win a new phone by clicking here!
Identity Theft	Getting access to personal information like insurance or medical records, resulting in financial fraud or identity theft	Your insurance account needs an update. Click here to update
Harassment Messages	Blackmailing or threatening the recipient with a goal to steal their money	Your internet activity is documented in our records. Click here to protect your privacy.
Phishing Money Transfers	Impersonating a renowned company and offering cashback or refunds to steal the recipient’s personal details	Click here for a free refund.

How To Protect Your Business From SMS Spoofing

The basic anti-spoofing measures include 2-factor authentication, automatic warnings about unusual SMS messages, and educating staff on how to identify spoofing and phishing.

Ironclad SMS Campaign Protection with Phonexa’s E-Delivery

With E-Delivery, not only will your messages reach the right audience at the right time, but you will also get access to in-depth campaign analytics, being able to ensure 100% safety for your business and your customers.

At the same time, E-Delivery is only one piece of the complete marketing puzzle you get with Phonexa.

We offer a complete suite of performance marketing solutions for lead generation from affiliate, email, SMS, and social media marketing campaigns. Seamless integrations and real-time data flow will facilitate your effort of optimising the path of conversion of each business lead.

Here is the eight-in-one performance marketing software suite you unlock at one price:

Build your plan now, or book a demo to discover how Phonexa can help you fine-tune your email and SMS marketing campaigns.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I detect an SMS spoof?

SMS spoofing involves a message that appears as if coming from a trustful source. However, spammers sometimes use weird speech, irrelevant links, and requests to get access to personal information or money, so you can detect them this way.

How to prevent spoofing attacks

Avoid clicking on links from suspicious sources and check where the link directs before clicking. At the same time, regularly update your firmware and turn on SMS spam filters.

Does SMS spoofing have any legal consequences?

Penalties for SMS spoofing range from fines to criminal charges, depending on the country and the state. Laws are updated annually in order to provide better protection against cyber fraud.