Firms put consumers at mobile security risk

Companies that communicate with customers using text messages via their mobile phones could be leaving them open to identity theft, it has been claimed.

Dan Perrin, business development manager at wireless application service provider BulkSMS.co.uk, said reckless communication practices by companies are increasingly playing into the hands of fraudsters.

"All it takes is one irresponsible communication that fraudsters can replicate and a company's integrity will be at risk and its customers' defrauded," he continued.

"This is true for email where the most common techniques used to defraud people are phishing scams."

Mr Perrin went on to say such techniques attempt to trick a person into revealing personal information such as credit card details or bank account information by sending an email with a fake web address or telephone number.

He added that similar tricks are now being used to receive a text message from what seems to be a reputable financial institution asking them to divulge personal information.

Last month, IT security provider Get Safe Online claimed phone networks are more difficult to hack into than the internet because they are better managed.