Apple’s Messages app has a built-in safeguard to prevent links or phone numbers in unsolicited messages from being clickable, but scammers have found a way around it. The “smishing” attack tricked users into enabling clickable links by responding to a fake message that appears as an unpaid bill notification.
To avoid falling victim to these attacks, block and report the sender’s email address or phone number immediately. Keep an eye out for similar messages from other numbers or addresses and report them as well. Inform friends and family about the tactic and advise them to spread the word.
Be cautious when receiving unsolicited texts with disabled links. Avoid replying or clicking on suspicious links, as it may lead to further scam messages. Instead, block and report the message.
Legitimate organizations, such as banks, will not ask for sensitive information via text message. Be wary of messages that appear too good (or bad) to be true, as they are likely scams.
The US has seen $9 billion in losses to scammers in 2022 alone. To protect yourself and others, report suspicious activity to the authorities and warn your contacts about these tactics.
Source: https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/01/12/psa-text-scammers-resorting-to-new-tactics-to-get-you-to-enable-phishing-links