New scheme — Israelis warned about dangerous SMS
The Center for Local Government in Israel warns of a new wave of phishing SMS messages disguised as municipal notifications. The messages demand payment of debts via a link, after which the victim's data is sent to the attackers' Telegram. Expert Matan Gidnyan recommends not clicking on links and checking bills through official websites.
The Center for Local Government in Israel is warning residents about a new wave of phishing attacks. Attackers are sending SMS and digital messages that appear to be official notifications from municipalities. They claim there is an outstanding debt for property tax (arnona), garbage collection, parking fines, or water bills, and urge payment via a link. The message also threatens penalties and account seizure. The Center notes that these notifications do not specify which municipality is involved. Matan Gidnyan, CEO of Fisherman Security, analyzed the phishing page code and found that after entering data—credit card details, ID, and password—the information is automatically sent to the attacker's Telegram. He advises not to pay bills through links in messages, but to verify information via official websites or apps. The Center reminds that similar schemes may be used under the names of other organizations, including Highway 6, Carmel Tunnels, and Israel Post.