Ever get a suspicious phone call claiming to be from your bank or tech support? That might be a vishing attack – a sneaky scam that tries to trick you into giving up personal information over the phone.
Vishing 101: How it Works
Vishing is like phishing (those scam emails), but with a voice! Scammers call you, pretending to be from a trusted source like your bank, credit card company, or even the government. They might:
- Threaten to shut down your account unless you “verify” your information.
- Offer “amazing deals” that sound too good to be true.
- Scare you with urgent security issues that need immediate attention.
The Spoofing Trick:
Vishing attacks often use a technique called “spoofing” to make the caller ID look like a legitimate company. This can make you trust the call and lower your guard.
Don’t Get Hooked! How to Stay Safe
- Don’t trust caller ID: Just because a number looks real doesn’t mean it is.
- Never give out personal information over the phone: Legitimate companies won’t ask for your passwords or social security number over the phone.
- Hang up and call back: If you’re unsure about a call, hang up and call the company back using a phone number you know is real (look it up on their website).
Remember: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. When in doubt, hang up and reach out directly to the company the caller claims to be from.
