Kyivstar launches phishing SMS blocking service

The mobile operator Kyivstar has developed and implemented a new service to counter cyber fraud "Protection of alphanumeric names."

This service is intended for business clients – with its help SMS messages are monitored and blocked from phishing resources, the operator said in a message on Monday.

An alphanumeric name is an alphabetic or digital signature that appears on the SMS sender line. The operator emphasizes that the service will be useful to all companies and institutions that use SMS in their work: banks, postal operators, retail, service providers, etc.

"Most often, phishing SMS are sent using commercial names and brands of companies well-known in the market. Therefore, in a number of messages from similar alpha names, subscribers may not notice the difference and automatically provide fraudsters with information about themselves or their bank account," Kyivstar Chief Marketing Officer Pavlo Daniman said.

Kyivstar notes that when sending SMS to Kyivstar subscribers, the operator will continuously monitor and control the use of alphanumeric names or their variations only by a partner, and not by a third party. SMS delivery to Kyivstar subscribers, which uses original and visually similar alphanumeric partner names, which come from persons not authorized for such mailings, will be automatically blocked.

According to the operator, there are no analogues of this service in Ukraine.

As reported, according to the NBU, the number of fraudulent transactions with payment cards recorded by banks in January-June 2020 increased to 47,500, which is 1.4 times more than in the same period a year earlier.

Source: www.en.interfax.com.ua