What is Vishing?

Vishing, which stands for voice phishing, involves using deceptive phone calls to deceive victims into sharing sensitive information such as login credentials, credit card numbers, or bank details.

What is the definition of vishing?

Vishing, short for voice phishing, involves fraudulent phone calls or voice messages aimed at duping victims into sharing sensitive information such as login credentials, credit card numbers, or bank details. This data can then be exploited for criminal purposes such as fraud, identity theft, or financial theft. Phishing attacks are widespread and costly: In 2022, phishing ranked as the second most common cause of data breaches, with organizations facing an average cost of US$4.91 million in breach expenses.

In vishing scams, perpetrators typically impersonate reputable organizations like the victim’s bank, the IRS, or a delivery service, initiating unexpected phone calls. They may use toll-free numbers or employ voice over internet protocol (VoIP) technology to appear legitimate.

However, vishing attacks aren’t confined to phone calls alone. Many vishing attempts begin with phishing emails urging recipients to call a specified number. Once on the call, scammers employ various social engineering techniques to coax the target into divulging personal information.

Often, vishing scams target vulnerable demographics such as the elderly, new employees, or individuals who regularly receive external calls as part of their job. Protecting against vishing attacks requires vigilance, informed precautionary measures, and robust email security solutions. This page explores effective strategies and tools to safeguard sensitive information from vishing threats.

What is the purpose of vishing?

The primary objective of vishing is to unlawfully obtain private, sensitive information from individuals or businesses. Scammers typically target valuable information such as:

• Confidential details such as bank account and credit card numbers.
• Personal data like Social Security or identification numbers.
• Security credentials, passwords, or PINs

Why do people engage in vishing?

Attackers prefer voice communication for two distinct advantages in manipulating victims: urgency and trust. Voice calls enable scammers to catch individuals off guard, leading them to make impulsive decisions. Additionally, through voice calls, scammers can establish a personal connection with the target, adapt to their behavior in real-time, and exploit emotional cues, which is not easily achievable through standard phishing emails.

Vishing is becoming increasingly appealing to scammers as advancing technologies make deception easier and more effective. Free or inexpensive tools like VoIP and caller ID spoofing allow attackers to impersonate trusted numbers and conceal their identity and origins. Furthermore, scammers are starting to utilize sophisticated software to replicate an individual’s voice, making fraudulent communications even more convincing. With the rise of deepfake technology, the line between real and synthetic voices is becoming blurred, significantly heightening the risk of vishing attacks.

What’s the difference between vishing, phishing, and smishing?

Vishing, phishing, and smishing utilize various forms of communication, yet they share the common goal of gaining control over accounts, perpetrating fraud, or pilfering funds from unsuspecting individuals or businesses.

Here’s how these three phishing methods differ:

• Vishing: Scams via phone calls that coerce victims into verbally disclosing sensitive information.
• Phishing: Scams through emails that entice victims into clicking links directing them to deceptive websites or downloading malware.
• Smishing: Scams via text messages that also urge victims to click malicious links or visit counterfeit websites.

How do Vishing Emails avoid Detection?

Not all vishing attacks originate with a phone call. Many attackers initiate their scheme with a carefully crafted email, masquerading as a reputable or trusted source. They convince the recipient to respond to their demands through a phone call. When a vishing attack begins with a phishing email, how does it bypass email security filters? There are three potential reasons:

• Absence of links in the email: Security systems readily flag emails containing malicious links. However, a vishing email typically prompts the recipient to make a phone call, eliminating the need for links that standard security tools can detect. The content emphasizes initiating a call, bypassing traditional clickable links or buttons commonly found in phishing attempts.
• Email from a seemingly legitimate sender: Impersonated email accounts can pass authentication checks such as Domain Based Message Authentication Reporting (DMARC), Sender Policy Framework (SPF), or DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) if sent from a personal email address, such as a Gmail account.
• Inadequate email security measures: If an email successfully passes the first two filters, it may be categorized as low risk by basic email security systems and delivered to recipients’ inboxes. This prevalent issue can be addressed with advanced email security software designed to detect and counter phishing attempts, business email compromise, and ransomware.

Unlike URLs, phone numbers are not routinely tracked and shared as indicators of compromise (IOC) in the cybersecurity community. This lack of standardization around phone numbers increases the likelihood of vishing campaigns evading conventional email security checks.

📚 Also Read: A Guide to Email Authentication Protocols: SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and BIMI Explained

Vishing examples

Advancements in technology have transformed typical vishing scams into highly convincing attacks. Exploiting human trust and urgency, these scams replicate genuine businesses and scenarios, leading to severe repercussions for organizations.

Below are several examples of common vishing attacks:

IRS Tax Scam

This type of vishing scam often involves a prerecorded voice message alerting recipients to an issue with their tax return, urging them to contact the IRS directly via a provided number. These messages typically employ a threatening tone, warning of potential arrest warrants if ignored.

Tech-Support Attacks

In tech-support vishing scams, fraudsters pose as representatives from tech giants like Apple, Microsoft, or Google, notifying individuals of suspicious activity on their accounts. They may request email addresses to send purported software updates, which turn out to be malware-infected downloads.

Bank-Impersonation Scams

Scammers impersonate credit card companies, banks, or other financial institutions, claiming there is unusual activity on the victim’s account. They then ask for verification of account details and login credentials under the guise of resolving the issue.

Social Security or Medicare Scams

Older adults are often targeted in these scams, where criminals pose as Social Security or Medicare officials to obtain sensitive account details, such as Social Security numbers or benefit information.

Delivery Scams

Cybercriminals posing as representatives from popular online retailers like Amazon or shipping companies like UPS notify customers of purported shipping issues and provide contact numbers for assistance.

Loan and Investment Scams

Scammers offer high-return investment opportunities or loans promising quick debt payoff with minimal risk, urging victims to commit without fully understanding associated risks or costs.

Voice-Cloning Vishing Scams

With advancements in voice-cloning technology, cybercriminals create remarkably realistic fake audio recordings mimicking the voices of individuals’ family members or trusted figures. These recordings are then used to request significant financial transfers or other sensitive actions, exploiting the victim’s trust and respect for the familiar voice.

As voice-cloning tools become more sophisticated and accessible, the threat of such scams increases, highlighting the importance of robust security measures and heightened awareness, even in seemingly familiar situations.

What are the signs of vishing?

Recognizing the signs of a vishing attempt is crucial for protecting your identity and finances. Here are tips on how to identify a vishing scam:

Spoofed phone numbers

Vishing scammers often employ spoofed phone numbers that resemble those of trusted businesses or institutions, albeit with subtle differences. For example, they might use numbers closely resembling those of a legitimate bank, counting on recipients not noticing the minor variation. Exercise caution, even if the caller ID displays a familiar local number or company name.

Aggressive call tactics

Vishing and phishing tactics typically employ urgency or fear-inducing language. You may hear phrases such as “urgent account problem,” “suspicious activity detected,” or “final warning,” aimed at eliciting quick responses. Be cautious of any call demanding immediate action, particularly regarding personal data or finances. Scammers may also feign familiarity, hinting at prior conversations, relationships, or corporate connections. While this may create a sense of rapport, it’s a tactic to steer victims toward compromising actions.

Unexpected requests for sensitive data

The objective of a vishing attack is to extract sensitive information like passwords, PINs, verification codes, or financial details. Legitimate institutions never solicit such information through unsolicited calls.

Utilizing publicly available information

Scammers may present seemingly personalized details about you, sourced from online platforms or social media, to lend credibility to the call. However, knowledge of your address, recent transactions, or family information doesn’t confirm the caller’s authenticity.

Independent verification

If a call raises suspicion, even if it appears genuine, refrain from immediate action. Instead of following the caller’s directives, disconnect the call and independently contact the institution or individual using a verified number from their official website or your contacts. Avoid using numbers provided during the suspicious call.

What should you do if you’ve experienced a vishing attack?

If you’ve been targeted by a vishing attack, taking prompt action can help minimize potential damage and prevent further misuse of your information. Here’s what you can do:

• Inform your financial institutions about the fraudulent activity and request them to freeze or monitor your accounts for any unusual transactions.
• Change all compromised passwords, PINs, and security credentials across your accounts, ensuring you use strong, unique passwords for each.
• Notify the relevant company or institution that the scammer pretended to represent. They may offer additional assistance and take measures to alert others.
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to contribute to efforts in combating such scams.
• If you’re an employee who divulged sensitive corporate information, promptly notify your company’s IT department or cybersecurity team to initiate damage control measures.

Vishing and other cybercrimes will persist as long as scammers can successfully deceive individuals. However, being vigilant and proactive in identifying and responding to vishing attempts can help reduce their impact. Continue reading to discover how you can prevent vishing attacks.

How can you prevent vishing and phone scams?

To mitigate vishing attacks and minimize their impact on your organization, consider implementing the following best practices:

• Safeguard your accounts with multi-factor authentication (MFA): MFA enhances security by requiring two or more verification factors to access an account, making it significantly harder for cybercriminals to bypass authentication barriers even if they obtain a password through a vishing scam.
• Strengthen your email security with advanced threat defense: Since vishing attackers often initiate their schemes via email, it’s crucial to enhance your email security beyond native filters to defend against vishing, phishing, and business email compromise attempts effectively.
• Register with a Do Not Call list: Reducing the risk of vishing attacks can be achieved by enrolling in a national Do Not Call list, maintained by governmental agencies. Although it won’t entirely stop scammers, it can decrease the number of unsolicited calls from legitimate companies, making it easier to identify suspicious ones.
• Exercise caution when answering unsolicited calls: Train employees to adopt best practices when handling phone calls, including avoiding answering calls from unfamiliar numbers, hanging up and blocking suspicious callers, refraining from redialing missed calls from unknown numbers, and not responding to voice prompts from unsolicited calls.
• Stay vigilant against vishing social engineering tactics: Educate employees to recognize social engineering strategies commonly used in vishing attempts, such as threats of immediate action, promises of rewards or exclusive deals, feigned kindness or personal connections, and insistence on secrecy.
• Review potential vishing emails or text messages carefully: When assessing suspicious communications, carefully examine the sender’s name, email, and phone number, evaluate the language used for urgency or inconsistencies, scrutinize the call-to-action requests, and refrain from sharing sensitive data over the phone.
• Request proof of identity from callers: Prioritize data security by asking callers to verify their identity with details about their position, purpose of the call, and the institution they represent. Reconnect using verified contact information sourced directly from official channels to ensure legitimacy.
• Provide phishing prevention training for employees: Invest in regular training programs to educate employees on current vishing defense strategies, cyberthreat trends, defensive measures, and proper response protocols, empowering them to actively protect the organization’s sensitive data and finances.

Conclusion

vishing represents a significant threat, exploiting trust and urgency in voice communication. Vigilance, proactive security measures, and employee education are crucial in defending against these deceptive schemes. By staying informed and maintaining skepticism, we can create a safer digital environment.