Scammers making tens of thousands a month from sending smishing texts to victims spend their ill-gotten gains on designer shoes and bags. A recent police operation has seized over 8,500 items worth tens of thousands of pounds. This reveals the lavish lifestyle of those behind financial fraud, including smishing.
Fraudsters send fake text messages pretending to be from banks or trusted companies, tricking people into sharing passwords and personal info. The intention is to defraud them out of their money. A recent case involved a student who sent over 15,000 texts in five days, earning £100,000 per month.
The police are warning that smishing scams have a devastating impact on victims. To combat this, the government is banning sim farms, which allow criminals to send thousands of scam texts. Experts say education is key and advise people not to click on links in unsolicited messages.
If you’re a victim of fraud, report to Action Fraud or your bank, and forward the message to 7726 for further investigation. Visit bbc.co.uk/scamsafe for resources and help.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg4nzp6ezg7o