Last month, we covered a new SMS phishing scam (smishing for short) specifically targeting iPhone users. The idea behind the scheme is to trick the recipient into replying to a text in order to activate a link, which would then be clicked, either purposefully or inadvertently, and activate a piece of malware.
Messages in iOS 18 has a feature that turns off hyperlinks when receiving a text from a number that’s not in your Contacts list. That extra bit of security makes it difficult for scammers to trick you into clicking their links—unless you then reply, which unlocks the link.
The idea is that the original text tricks you into replying with something as simple as a Y or N so the link will become clickable. It’s usually a question or some…
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Macworld (Digital) - 1 Issue, April 2025