Polish officials and consumer‑protection groups alert the public to a rise in smishing – fraudulent SMS messages that mimic banks, the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS), tax offices, energy suppliers and other entities. The messages claim suspicious logins, overdue payments or unexpected refunds and include links to counterfeit websites that harvest login credentials and payment data.
Victims are urged not to click any links or reply to such texts. Instead, they should open official apps or websites directly, verify the request through known contact channels, and treat any unsolicited request for personal or payment information as suspicious. The guidance applies to all similar scams targeting individuals in Poland.
Authorities stress that legitimate institutions never ask for passwords, security codes or payment details via SMS links. Following these precautions can prevent financial loss and identity theft.