By Over one million scam texts to be sent this Christmas
Reports have indicated that over one million scam texts will be sent to UK residents this week.
More than half of these texts will likely take the form of parcel delivery requests.
According to the BBC, Proofpoint, a cyber-security company, has reported that the public are receiving ten times more scam texts this year compared to 2020.
The rise in texts is likely due to the coronavirus pandemic and staff shortages as well as the fact that Christmas is in just two days’ time.
It is believed that 98 percent of texts are read within just three minutes, the BBC reported.
The fraudulent act of sending texts in order to get people to click links, download viruses and share private data has been listed as ‘smishing’ or ‘SMS phishing’.
The vice president of operations at Proofpoint, Jacinta Tobin, told the BBC: “[The public is] totally susceptible [to these scam texts] because we trust and we act quickly.”
She added: “We don’t want to miss that parcel or present.
“We are seeing more and more urgent messages warning packages will be returned unless action is taken.”
Mobile operators, the National Cyber Security Centre, banks and big retailers/brands are all working with the police to take down these manipulative scam texts and the criminals behind them quicker.
Proofpoint informed the BBC that the UK ‘has more industry collaboration than any other country they work in’.
However, Boxing Day sales/discounts and Omicron scam texts are still expected to flood the UK after Christmas.
Shockingly, once the scammers receive the victims’ money – by pretending to be from the police, their bank or parcel delivery services like Hermes – it is given to large criminal gangs who deal with drugs and human trafficking, the BBC revealed.
In the first half of 2021, UK Finance reportedly took down 24 gangs and saved victims from losing a total of £85 million.
Royal Mail have reassured consumers that they will never text or email them asking for money or personal details.
Authentic messages should be sent through the letterbox on a card.
The BBC reported that the Royal Mail have taken down a total of 40,000 websites claiming to be for Royal Mail parcel fees since the scam texts began.
Proofpoint are asking people to forward suspicious texts to them so that action can be taken.
They can be forwarded to 7726 or via the Royal Mail website.
