SMS Phishing (smishing)

I just got another one of these damn phishing text messages.

They all have the same SMS short code address, 9099. Except for the phone number to call, they all have the same message:

customer issue, california credit union service frozen. please call at 206 529 4843

customer issue, california credit union service frozen. please call at 972 548 7269

customer issue, california credit union service frozen. please call at 520 334 1027

The use of the preposition “at” in reference to the phone number suggests that English may not be the sender’s first language. Nevertheless, their usage of “california” is unnerving. They might be casting as wide a net as possible by naming the most populous state. But I suspect they are customizing the messages based on the area code of the target.

CCU is aware of the phishing scam and has published a warning on their website.