My mom accidentally clicked on a dubious link she received via SMS on her iPhone and is now really worried about potential consequences. I've checked her phone for any new apps that may have been installed, and reviewed the data and battery usage, but I'm not sure what else to do. Apple support is not available right now, and my mom didn't enter any personal information on the site, just clicked the link. Is there still a chance that she could get hacked?
3 Answers
Most suspicious links aim for phishing, trying to grab personal info. If she didn’t enter anything after clicking the link, then she should be okay. But keep an eye on things just in case!
You don't have to worry too much; it's unlikely she got hacked just from clicking that link. It's a good idea to check her calendar for any weird events that might have been added as a scam tactic. Those scams sometimes try to freak you out into thinking there's an issue. Otherwise, she's probably safe!
Even though I'm not a fan of Apple, their iOS is pretty secure. Simply clicking a link won't compromise her phone, especially since apps can't install without user consent. Just recommend she restarts her iPhone to clear any potential issues. However, tell her to be careful—SMS links can sometimes be traps, but serious hacks are usually targeted at high-profile individuals.
The site did send her a code via SMS that she re-entered to 'verify her identity'. Is that a problem?