Telecoms operator had warned its clients of a text message currently doing the rounds claiming to be from the company and asking for payment of a sum of money.
The message is a phishing attempt, which means that the sum of money claimed is not large, but is being used as a means of obtaining the customer’s bank details.
Most recipients of the message are likely to choose to pay the sum demanded rather than contact Proximus or check their own payment records. That, at least, is what the fraudsters expect.
The message contains a link to be opened, but doing so is to walk into the fraudsters’ trap. Filling out the innocent-looking questionnaire gives the criminals access to your banking details, and once that is done the sums involved are no longer negligible.
The advice for anyone receiving such a message is simple and invariable: if in the slightest doubt, contact Proximus via the normal channels – online or via the company’s own app. Never use a link contained in a text message – it could be used to download malware on to your own phone.
And if you receive a text message from Proximus asking for cash, send the details to the company using their reporting form.
Alan Hope
The Brussels Times
