SMS scam
Rip-off wave: Why O2 customers have to be careful
There is a rip-off scam behind the supposed O2 SMS
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Fraudsters are currently trying to take money out of O2 customers’ pockets with a wave of SMS messages. The news relies on a well-known scam – and the fear of customers.
The tone sounds urgent: “Dear O2 customer, your phone number will be switched off,” says the message that is currently making the rounds among many Germans. In order to continue using the number, you have to follow a link. But that’s exactly what you should avoid as much as possible: it’s a rip-off scam.
If you click on the link, you won’t necessarily notice it: The page is copied down to the smallest detail from O2’s “My O2” service page, including false links to the common app stores to download the mobile phone provider’s app. In the middle, like the original, there is an invitation to register. However, you should not enter your log-in data: they will be stolen via the input mask.
O2 SMS: These are the consequences
It’s about more than just collecting the data: “The aim is to misuse your data, for example by ordering cell phones in your name and at your expense,” O2 warns its customers on its own help page about fraudulent SMS of this type It went online last summer and referred to an older variant of the scam that warned of an expiring SIM card, but was otherwise based on the same principle. There are now other variants in addition to the supposedly expiring number.
If you take a closer look, you can see from the link that something is wrong here: Instead of going to an official page from O2 or the parent company Telefónica, the URL leads to another website, such as “Tarif-neu.com”. This is not the case with the original: “Our official o2 links always point to the pages o2.de or o2online.de,” explains the company. “You are also on the safe side with our shortlinks, which we always send with g.o2.de.” Good: Browsers like Chrome sometimes already recognize the scam sites and warn you if you want to visit them.
Security
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How should you deal with the SMS?
The easiest solution to protect yourself: Don’t click on the link. If you have any doubts as to whether the SMS actually came from O2 and it could be a real problem with the account, it is better to log into the account manually or contact customer service. If you really have problems with your account, you can find a solution through the official channels and don’t have to respond to a single message.
Once you have clicked on the link and entered your data, you should contact O2 immediately to rule out possible consequences. You also have to change the password immediately. If you use the password for multiple accounts, the password must be changed immediately there too. It’s best to take the opportunity to choose a different account for each account. You can find tips for a good password in the photo gallery above.
Source: O2