- Smishing disguised as Inps: how this scam works
- Inps changes its approach: no more clickable links in texts
- What to do if you clicked on a suspicious link
- How to protect yourself: caution is your best defense
Smishing disguised as Inps: how this scam works
Inps and Cert-AgID have raised a red flag about a wave of dangerous fraudulent SMS messages targeting citizens through increasingly sophisticated smishing tactics.
This form of phishing via SMS tricks victims by imitating official Inps communications, often warning about issues with payments, tax declarations, or account expirations.
The message usually contains a link to a fake website that perfectly mimics the official one.
Victims are then asked to provide sensitive personal data, such as their tax code, IBAN, ID document, and even selfies holding the ID. These are used for identity theft, altering Inps payment details, or even selling information on the dark web.
Inps changes its approach: no more clickable links in texts
To protect users, Inps has announced a major change: official SMS messages will no longer contain clickable links. Their function is purely informational, alerting recipients about new documents or updates in their personal area without any direct link.
Users are instructed to access the MyINPS section exclusively through SPID or CIE, ensuring a higher level of digital security and minimizing the risk of fraud.
What to do if you clicked on a suspicious link
If you’ve received a fraudulent message, clicked on the link and shared your data, it’s essential to act quickly.
Authorities recommend:
- Filing a report with the Postal Police immediately;
- Monitoring your bank account closely and reporting any unusual activity;
- Contacting the Inps call center at 803.164 or emailing malware@cert-agid.gov.it to report the incident.
If you suspect your SPID credentials have been compromised, get in touch with your SPID provider to revoke or suspend the identity.
How to protect yourself: caution is your best defense
The most effective weapon against digital fraud remains vigilance.
Here are a few golden rules:
- Never click on links received via SMS, even if they look official;
- Always double-check that the website’s domain is inps.it;
- Access Inps services only through MyINPS using your SPID or CIE, and never through search engines or text links.
Remember: no serious institution will ever ask for sensitive data via SMS. When in doubt, double-check before clicking, it’s always safer.
