European smishing scams exploit fake refunds and parcel alerts

Italy's national cyber‑security agency CERT‑AGID reported a focused smishing campaign that hijacks the Trenitalia brand. Recipients receive SMS messages promising a €15 refund for delayed trains and are directed to a counterfeit site that collects phone numbers, credit‑card details and a small verification fee. In the week of 4‑10 July, the agency logged 130 malicious campaigns, 98 of which targeted Italian users.

In France, the Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr portal warned of a summer surge in fake SMS scams using pretexts such as parcel deliveries, tax refunds, toll‑fine notices and bank advisories. The platform recorded 108 000 help requests in 2025, a 70 % increase from the previous year. It outlined five tell‑tale signs—suspicious links, urgent tone, credential requests, language errors, and unfamiliar sender numbers—and advised victims to forward suspect messages to the national anti‑fraud number 33700, which blocks the offending sender.

Both reports emphasize the growing reliance on SMS for phishing, the need for users to verify message authenticity, and the availability of quick reporting tools to curb the attacks.