Robert Siciliano
Online Security and Safety Evangelist to McAfee Robert is an identity theft expert who is committed to ...
Spammers send unwanted emails or texts that are both annoying and frightening. Most spam messages are useless advertisements selling stuff you don’t need or want.
In 1995, 8,069 unique pieces of malware were detected. One out of 20 emails were spam, and the Melissa virus infected hundreds of thousands. By 2010, 54 million unique pieces of malware were detected and more than 90% of all email was spam.
SMS spam (or spam via texting) is so prevalent today because those sending it are often scammers using robocall techniques that sequentially dial numbers in any area code and extension. An online search for “mass sms software” turns up plenty of free and low-fee programs that facilitate mass texting.
Also, when you enter your mobile number on a website you might end up clicking a terms of service agreement where you allow the company to send you text advertisements. And entering your information on a mobile app is no different. If you are not careful, you could unknowingly be opening yourself up to spam from the app and any third parties they work with.
While spam is mostly annoying, it can also pose some risks to you. You could even be tricked into paying for products and services that turn out to be illegitimate or nonexistent. Spam can also be used to distribute Trojans, spyware, and exploit code that can infect your mobile device or steal your information.
To protect yourself from SMS spam, you should:
Taking the time to practice some simple steps will help protect you against the risks of spam.
Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Evangelist to McAfee. Watch him discussing information he found on used electronic devices YouTube. (Disclosures)
Tags: Android, android antivirus, Android security, android security app, anti-phishing, anti-theft, anti-virus, antivirus, app protection, BlackBerry, identity theft, internet security, McAfee SiteAdvisor, Mobile, mobile antivirus, mobile app, mobile security, mobile security app, phishing, QR codes, safe searching, smishing, Symbian, tablet security, text messaging, web protection
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