The New Realities of Vishing: Voice Phishing
Hotel and casino giant MGM Resorts reported losses from a recent vishing attack that exceeded 110 million dollars. Vishing involves a convincing phone call, rather than email, to trick targets into divulging sensitive information.
With robocalls, telemarketers and full-on cybercriminals all trying to reach you, answering the phone has become quite a risk. Today’s phone-based fraud—called voice phishing, or “vishing”—uses manipulative tactics to get victims to reveal private information that can be used for digital theft.
We’ve all been there: Your cellphone rings with a call from an unknown number. You hesitate. The area code is local, so it might be your doctor’s office or the new business associate you were expecting to hear from. So you answer, only to be greeted by someone claiming your car warranty is expiring or you’ve inherited some money. The caller says they just need to collect your banking details to send you the funds. But don’t give out the information, because it’s very likely the caller is a fraudster.
How Vishing Starts?
How does a scam artist get your number? The short answer: It’s hard to know. Given all the data breaches in recent years, contact details, login credentials and a plethora of other sensitive information can be purchased easily on the dark web. Vishing scammers may be looking to supplement the information they already have with any new details they can trick you into sharing, like your Social Security number, usernames and passwords, debit card PIN, one-time login codes and more.
Vishing can be part of a multipronged, blended approach. The swindle could start with a phishing email or SMS text message (“smishing”), then direct you to a spoofed website that fools you into thinking you’re dealing with your bank or another familiar company. Each element of these scams is designed to con you out of your hard-earned cash. Remember that caller IDs can be spoofed, and it’s easy for anyone to get a Google Voice phone number that looks local.
Different Type of Vishing Scams That Can Scam You: Tech Support, Computer Virus, Voicemail Attachment, Advanced Fee Fraud, Gift Cards, Prize Wins, IRS Alerts, Area Code-Based Scams
When it comes to providing sensitive information, don’t do it. Real organizations usually won’t ask for personal details like Social Security numbers, bank accounts or passwords over the phone. So, keep that kind of info private from unsolicited callers. Even if the caller claims to be someone you know, if the situation’s circumstances are even a tad fishy, it is best to hold off on providing any personal information.
Cyberattack cost MGM Resorts about $100 million, Las Vegas company says
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/cyberattack-cost-mgm-resorts-100-million-las-vegas-company-says-rcna119138
How Fraudsters Target Retirees With ‘Vishing’ Scams: Three Easy Ways To Protect Yourself
https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnwasik/2023/09/10/how-fraudsters-target-retirees-with-vishing-scams-three-easy-ways-to-protect-yourself/?sh=26e6b7e761ac
How to protect yourself from ‘vishing’ scams
https://www.foxnews.com/tech/how-protect-yourself-vishing-scams
Smishing, vishing and phishing: The most confusing digital terms explained
https://uk.style.yahoo.com/most-confusing-digital-terms-explained-131958115.html
What Is Vishing, And Why Is It A Threat To Your Financial Health?
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/personal-finance/what-is-vishing/
ok google i need my voicemail
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