FBI sounds alarm on rising ‘Smishing’ attacks hitting US smartphones: Report

As per the publication, the alert comes in response to a surge in highly deceptive scams targeting Apple and Samsung device owners.

According to the media outlet, organised criminal groups primarily based in China have been circulating fraudulent messages en masse, targeting over 150 million users. The messages are reportedly part of a growing cyber fraud tactic known as “smishing”, in which attackers impersonate trusted institutions or officials to trick recipients into divulging personal or financial information via text.

Since April 2025, the FBI reports that scammers have even gone so far as to impersonate senior US government officials, with many victims believed to be current or former public servants. “If you receive a message claiming to be from a senior US official, do not assume it is authentic,” the FBI stated.

The media report highlighted that the fraudulent texts often pose as urgent notices from state agencies such as the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), or from major financial institutions including Bank of America and Capital One. These messages typically claim that the recipient has unpaid tolls or fines, and provide a link to a fake payment portal designed to steal sensitive data.

Moreover, the scale of the threat is staggering. According to the report, a single scam operation can dispatch as many as 60 million fraudulent texts in a single month, equivalent to 720 million annually.

The FBI emphasised that these smishing campaigns are becoming increasingly convincing, with messages tailored to mimic official language and layouts. Florida officials have also echoed concerns, warning that the scams are now “more refined and convincing than in the past”.

Users are being urged to delete any suspicious messages immediately and to never click on unsolicited links or provide personal information through text. Verifying the source of any communication, particularly those involving financial matters, is critical.

In a statement, the FBI advised: “Remain vigilant. If in doubt, contact the institution directly through official channels. Never trust a message solely based on its appearance or urgency.”