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The scam messages come via SMS: »look very authentic«
Photo: Till Simon Nagel / dpa-tmn
The parcel service DHL warns of a wave of fraudulent short messages.
"SMS messages are currently in circulation that request your address or ask you to update your data," the company said.
You should never click on the link in such a message.
According to the company, the SMS does not come from the company, even if the sender is DHL or DHL Paket.
"Some of these SMS even appear in the real older SMS history with DHL Paket and therefore appear very authentic," the company continues.
In principle, however, one would never ask for payments or changes to addresses or other data via SMS.
Desirable target for criminals
Fraudulent short messages, in which the name of DHL and other parcel service providers is misused for phishing attacks, are not a new phenomenon.
There are always waves of fake SMS with supposed information or inquiries about parcel shipments.
According to the consumer advice center, the intentions of the unknown senders are different: "Some are intent on spreading harmful apps that read data and send bulk SMS to saved contacts," wrote the consumer advocates in a statement in mid-January.
Others would also want to lure users into subscription traps.
If you have clicked on such a link and installed an app, the consumer advice center advises switching the cell phone to flight mode so that the harmful app cannot send any more data over the Internet.
In addition, evidence should be created through screenshots and a report should be filed with the police.
To uninstall the malicious app, restart the phone in Safe Mode and scan for recently installed and unknown apps.
You should also inform your mobile phone provider and have a cost statement created for any SMS that may have been sent.
hpp/dpa
