Authenticated SMS
Authenticated SMS (A*SMS) is a Prompt.io™ patented technology to enhance SMS legitimacy at scale. With this technology, organizations have an iron-clad way to prove that they are the originator of texts through the introduction and use of the keyword ID.
Scams, Spoofing and Impersonation
Businesses and political campaigns are increasingly relying on SMS messaging for critical communication with customers and constituents. Businesses use SMS for sales, service, marketing, simple notification, and two-way conversation. Political campaigns use SMS to drive awareness, donations, and get out the vote.
As SMS has increasingly become a channel of choice for these use cases, hackers and bad actors have taken notice. SMS is a viable attack vector. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission calls SMS attacks a “Triple Threat.” There is even a moniker for these attacks – Smishing – a clever combination of the phrases “SMS” and “Phishing” (coined in a McAfee blog post, 2006).
Recent Examples
- Beto Impersonation
In the 2018 Texas Senatorial campaign, bad actors infiltrated the Beto O’Rourke campaign and used SMS to spread damaging misinformation. - Apple Spoofing
In early 2019, mobile phone users in Australia received spoofed SMS messages from Apple trying to get users to click on a fraudulent link. - Smishing Attack
In 2019, A Knoxville, Tennessee cancer survivor was “smished” into sending $500 by scammers touting a government benefit.
ASMS DEMO
- Text HELLO to 206-479-8799. (No reply will be sent in response)
- Text the A*SMS Keyword ID to 206-479-8799
- Enter the Verification Code
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ID Keyword
Consumers text the keyword ID and receive a custom, single-use authentication token than can be entered into an embedded form on the organization's website.
On entry of the authentication code, definitive proof of the validity of the text message is provided: the originating number for the text message, the customer's phone number, and the timestamp of the last message sent.
Welcome to XYZ
Reply ID to verify our identity.
ID
SMS sent from X
Visit x.com/id and enter code 332A1K to verify our identity.
Have a question on how to protect your supporters with Authenticated SMS?
Book a demo today.