Beware of Vishing Attacks

VISHING: a social engineering scam that involves fraudsters pretending to be associated with a financial institution or well-known business requesting personal or account information through the telephone or voice-enabled software on your computer. The term "vishing" is a combination of "VoIP" and "phishing."

Fraudsters using vishing scams are more inclined to leave a message on a machine rather than directly speak to individuals, it is significantly easier to recognize a vishing attempt rather than a phishing attack. However, these types of scams can appear to be very real messages. They often use urgent or official sounding language to convey the need for you to "confirm" your personal or account information.

How it works:
A fraudster will call your home or cellular telephone number pretending to be a representative of a financial institution or well-known business and leave a message requesting your urgent attention about your account or online profile being compromised. The message will include a number for you to return a call reminding you about the urgent need to secure your information as soon as possible.

When you return the call, the posing fraudster will ask you for your personal or account information.

Once they have the information, your identity and account are now susceptible to fraud.

There may be times they request this information from you if you answer the telephone. If this happens, do not provide the caller with any information. Instead, identify the organization they are representing and the name of the caller and inform them you will call them back from a more secure line and hang up. Look up the public number for the organization they said they were from, and call that number. Explain to their representative why you are calling and you suspect you are being vished and ask to speak with the individual that contacted you.
Remember: Do not use the number the potential fraudster has provided you. It is imperative you verify if the caller is with the organization they claim to be with.

Similar to most of the other types of social engineering, you remain in control of your information. Fraudsters are trying to get this information from you, so by using extra caution and some common sense, your information will remain perfectly safe.

A recent VISHING attack is under way where consumers receive a call from SHAZAM (ATM/debit card provifer) demanding account information. This is a scam and has not been authorized by Shazam ATM/debit card services. Some calls that consumers have received, have referenced “Visa® debit” or "MasterCard® debit". Some have included recorded messages while others have had a live operator or callback option. Anytime you receive a call like this please remember to NEVER give out personal information over the phone or in an email. Simply hang up on them.