smishing

noun

smish·​ing ˈsmi-shiŋ How to pronounce smishing (audio)
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
Smishing 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 horseComputing

called also SMS phishing

compare phishing

Examples of smishing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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

Word History

Etymology

blend of SMS and phishing

First Known Use

2006, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of smishing was in 2006

Dictionary Entries Near smishing

Cite this Entry

“Smishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smishing. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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