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The hackers then use this information for criminal activities, mainly stealing funds.
Vishing is on the rise, and people need to protect themselves from it.
This article will dive deep into Vishing, explaining how it works and the steps to protect yourself.
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What is Vishing?
Vishing and phishing are closely related.
Phishing refers to malicious actors impersonating trusted people or brands to trick their targets into giving up sensitive information.
If the recipient isnt careful, they could fall for the trick and send sensitive information or money.
Vishing is simply phishing via voice calls or notes.
Attackers often use toll-free numbers or voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) to make themselves look legitimate.
You need vigilance to avoid falling victim to this sophisticated attack vector.
What’s the goal of Vishing?
Like most crimes, the end game is money or stealing valuable information.
A hacker could trick their target into sending them money directly.
Sometimes, the attackers steal personal data to sell to other malicious actors.
Why do Hackers Engage in Vishing?
Voice communication carries urgency and trust in a way other communication mediums lack.
Hackers are also attracted to vishing because technology has made impersonating people on voice calls easier.
Common Vishing Scams
Lets examine some common vishing scams you should be wary of:
1.
Tech support calls
Attackers pretend to be tech support agents to trick targets into giving up sensitive information.
Older adults with limited technological prowess tend to fall for this attack vector.
People with limited technical understanding might conclude that the caller is legit and give them what they want.
Most importantly, never give out personal information via telephone or email.
Once the attacker begins the call, they use text-to-speech software to dictate what the target hears.
Without care, one can easily fall for this advanced trick.
To avoid falling victim to deepfake calls, start by being skeptical of random and unusual requests.
Robocalls
Robocalls are automated messages designed to trick recipients into sending money or giving up sensitive details.
These pre-recorded messages impersonate reputed authorities the police, government agencies, banks, healthcare institutions, etc.
to trick unsuspecting people into doing their bidding.
Hang up if you get a call like this.
Client calls
Some hackers dumpster dive office environments to find old, trashed invoices.
They then call the number on these invoices, pretending to be the vendor and demanding payment.
Telemarketing call
Hackers often have a go at exploit the human tendency to enjoy rewards and freebies.
In this case, they call the target and tell them theyve won a valuable prize.
However, always be wary of random people bearing gifts.
Dont get too excited and carried away to walk into this throw in of vishing scam.
How can I Recognize Vishing Attacks?
you’re able to recognize vishing attacks in various ways, including
1.
Asking for sensitive details
You should be automatically skeptical of any call that requests personal and sensitive information.
No reputed institution ever demands personal information over the phone or via email.
Poor audio quality
Deepfakes are becoming more ubiquitous as time passes, but technology still has limitations.
Speech-to-text software often has unusual background noises or voice glitches.
If you hear a normal voice tone suddenly becoming robotic, it signals that the call is likely cloned.
High-pressure tactics
Scammers often use high-pressure tactics to trick people into doing their bidding.
Observing the caller using threatening or highly persuasive language is a sign that they want to trick you.
Dont make decisions under pressure and haste you’re gonna wanna be calm to think clearly.
If the caller tries to veer you off from this calm state, hang up the call.
Cut the call and hit up the person via another means to confirm if theyre truly in urgent circumstances.
If you cant reach the person, like wait out the situation and contact them later.
Unusual numbers
Calls from unfamiliar numbers are a red flag.
Automated messages
Be wary of any call with a robotic voice tone.
No reputed organization sends pre-recorded calls to request action from a client or employee.
Best Practices to Avoid Vishing Attacks
What to do if you Experience a Vishing Attack?
If you fall victim to a vishing attack, its not something to continuously beat yourself over.
