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 horse …—Computing
called also SMS phishing
compare phishing
Cite this Entry
“Smishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smishing. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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