Persuasion triggers in smishing messages: A content analysis

The widespread use of mobile messaging has created everyday digital environments where individuals routinely make quick decisions guided by trust, urgency, and emotional cues. Within these environments, smishing, which is fraudulent text messaging designed to prompt action, has become a growing social and behavioral concern. This study examines how persuasive triggers embedded within smishing messages shape user decision-making, emotional responses, and perceived social obligations. A total of 1,062 real-world smishing messages (2020–2023) were analyzed using a behavioral codebook informed by Dual-Process Theory, Protection Motivation Theory, Cialdini’s influence principles, and Information Gap Theory. Eight persuasion triggers were identified, with authority, urgency, and fear appearing most frequently and often in combination. These layered cues create emotional pressure that encourages fast, heuristic responses rather than reflective judgment. Based on these patterns, we propose four behavioral typologies of smishing messages and interpret them as social-influence strategies operating within everyday digital communication contexts. The findings highlight how social vulnerability, perceived institutional legitimacy, and emotional arousal contribute to compliance in digital settings. Implications include the need for community-level digital literacy education, supportive prevention messaging, and intervention strategies that strengthen reflective decision-making and online resilience.