Reporting spam text messages to 7726

Phishing is one of the most common scams in Canada and is one of the easiest ways for cyber criminals to steal information and money from their victims. If you browse the internet, use social media, have a cell phone or smartphone, or have an email address, chances are you’ve received a phishing message. The simplest way to fight off phishing messages is to delete them, but it’s also important to report them to your cellular provider to help protect yourself and others from the same attacks.

What is phishing?

Phishing happens when cybercriminals send mass messages pretending to be from a legitimate source, like an individual or organization you may know (including government agencies), to try and steal your personal information. Phishing attempts are often delivered using emails, phone calls, text messages and direct messages on social media.

Smishing, phishing attempts through SMS (text) messages, is a common form of phishing. Cyber criminals send text messages that typically include a link that they’re trying to get you to click on. The messages are often disguised to look like a legitimate contact and website, but the message contains a spoofed (fake) link designed to trick you into clicking on it. The links can contain malware (malicious software) to infect your device or bring you to spoofed websites to input your personal information. But smishing attempts don’t always include links. Cyber criminals may also try to get you to reply with information they’re looking for, like your social insurance number or account information.

Reporting suspicious text messages to 7726

The best protection against smishing attempts is to be cautious about any messages that you receive from phone numbers you don’t recognize or that seem like a suspicious request. If you’re in doubt about the legitimacy of a sender or message, contact the legitimate source using another medium. Most importantly, don’t reply and never click on any links.

Instead, forward the spam message to 7726 (SPAM on most keypads). This will alert your cellular provider to open an investigation on the contents of the message. Canadian telecommunications companies take spam messages very seriously. Reporting to 7726 allows them to identify new types of smishing and block spam messages for all users. Forwarding methods will vary depending on your phone.

Long description - How to forward a phishing message on Android device

1. Tap the message (ensuring not to click on any links within the message) to open the conversation view.
2. From the conversation view, press and hold the message you want to forward until a menu prompt appears.
3. From the menu prompt select Forward (or an arrow icon), which directs you to a new message draft or a contact list.
4. Enter 7726 in the To: field and press the send button.

To forward a phishing message on an Android device:

1. Tap the message (ensuring not to click on any links within the message) to open the conversation view
2. From the conversation view, press and hold the message you want to forward until a menu prompt appears
3. From the menu prompt select Forward (or an arrow icon), which directs you to a new message draft or a contact list
4. Enter 7726 in the To: field and press the send button.

Long description - How to forward a phishing message on iOS device

1. 1. Tap the message (ensuring not to click on any links within the message) to open the conversation view
   2. From the conversation view, press and hold the message you want to forward until a menu prompt appears
   3. From the menu prompt, select More… to present a checklist for messages to select for forwarding
   4. Select any additional messages to include and then tap the arrow icon (on the bottom right corner) to create a new message draft
   5. Enter 7726 in the To: field and press the send button.

To forward a phishing message from iOS:

1. Tap the message (ensuring not to click on any links within the message) to open the conversation view
2. From the conversation view, press and hold the message you want to forward until a menu prompt appears
3. From the menu prompt, select More… to present a checklist for messages to select for forwarding
4. Select any additional messages to include and then tap the arrow icon (on the bottom right corner) to create a new message draft
5. Enter 7726 in the To: field and press the send button.

In Canada, reporting spam to 7726 is free and will not count towards your data or messaging usage package. You can contact your cellular provider directly if you have questions about the reporting process.

Conclusion

Learning to spot the signs of a phishing is a great way to protect yourself and always be cautious of unexpected or suspicious messages. A legitimate organization, including a Government of Canada department, will never try to conduct business over a text message.

Cyber security is a shared responsibility and reporting spam messages to 7726 is a great way to help reduce phishing attempts and keep Canadians safe online. It’s equally important to report any suspicious activity, including smishing, to your local police and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s online reporting system or by phone at 1-888-495-8501.