What the word means
Smishing is phishing delivered by SMS or another text-message channel. A message might claim a parcel needs a fee, a bank account is locked or a prize is waiting. It tries to make you open a link, call a number, pay or disclose a code. The claimed sender and familiar branding are not reliable authentication.
A practical example
You expect a package and receive a text asking for a small redelivery charge. Rather than following that link, you check the actual order in the retailer account and tracking on the carrier's own site. If the shipment is normal, the text's urgency was manufactured. If there is a delivery issue, you still resolve it through the trusted channel.
After a click
Merely opening a page is not the same as submitting a password or card number. Work out exactly what you entered and respond accordingly: change a reused password through the real site, or call the card issuer if you gave payment details. The FTC's
spam-text guide lists delivery pretexts and reporting options. Keep the message for a report if needed, then block it.
