What is SMS Brandname? How do criminals send fraudulent messages via SMS Brandname?

Recently, scams via SMS Brandname messages from banks have appeared rampant. So what is SMS Brandname? Why can criminals send fraudulent messages using SMS Brandname? We invite you to join TipsMake.com to find out.

What is SMS Brandname?

SMS Brandname is a service provided by network operators for businesses that need to send SMS messages to customers, for advertising or customer care purposes. When using this service, the sender information in the SMS will display the brand/product/brand name instead of the phone number.

When registering an SMS Brandname, businesses will have to prepare documents including Business Registration Certificate/Establishment Decision/Brand Copyright Certificate/Decision to grant a Certificate of Protection to the Trademark/Certificate of Ownership. Intellectual property or equivalent documents are still valid. In addition, businesses must also prepare a Brandnam registration document according to the network operator's form.

Why can criminals send fraudulent messages using SMS Brandname?

As you can see, the SMS Brandname registration process is quite complicated and each SMS Brandname is unique so cybercriminals cannot register it forged. So how do they send fraudulent messages using SMS Brandname?

The answer is SMS Fake Sender ID.

Fake Sender ID SMS service is not new. In the past, cybercriminals have used this service to fake messages from Apple to take over users' iCloud accounts. To use fake SMS Sender ID, cybercriminals must pay rent to those who provide this service in the Darkweb underground world.

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According to cyber security expert Ngo Minh Hieu of NCSC (once known by the nickname hacker hieupc), on the Darkweb market, Fake Sender ID SMS service costs from 100-500USD depending on the quality and quantity of SMS to be sent.

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 To prove it, hieupc contacted a person selling Fake Sender ID SMS service in a closed group on Telegram. To confirm his reputation, Hieu asked the seller to try sending an SMS message with the Brandname Facebook to his account number.

After just one minute, Hieu's phone number received a message from Facebook with the content that Hieu provided to the other person. If you want to send 100 Brandname SMS, Hieu will have to pay the other person 20 USD in Bitcoin.

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Searching with the keyword SMS Fake Sender ID on Google TipsMake.com also easily finds many websites providing this service. We tried sending messages for testing purposes and it was successful. However, the prices these websites offer are much higher than the Darkweb market.

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 Thus, with the support of hackers in the underground world, cyber criminals can easily send SMS messages with any Brandname.

To ensure safety, cybersecurity expert Ngo Minh Hieu advises users to pay attention to the following issues:

1. Absolutely do not access links or links in strange or unknown messages/emails.
2. Only log in to the e-banking service through the official website of the bank you are using, you can contact the bank switchboard to get official site information.
3. Limit the use of public computers and public wireless networks when accessing the electronic banking system.
4. Do not provide your name, online banking login password, OTP authentication code, bank card number via phone, email, social networks and websites.
5. Set a password that is difficult to guess, change your password regularly or when suspected of being exposed. Do not use password saving features for automatic login, do not use the same password to log in to online banking and email passwords or login passwords to social networks.
6. Sign up to receive transaction balance change notifications.
7. Register to use Smart OTP authentication method when transacting online. Use 2-layer security for social network accounts, email.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 02 February 2024