What is phishing?
Phishing is a type of online fraud that occurs when an attacker tries to trick a victim into giving them personal information or money. The attacker may pose as a trusted person or organization, such as a bank or government agency, in order to gain the victim’s trust. They may also use fake websites or emails that look identical to the real thing in order to collect personal information like passwords or credit card numbers. Telephone phishing, also known as vishing, is a type of phishing attack that uses the telephone to target a victim. The attacker will usually call the victim and pretend to be from a trusted organization, such as a bank or government agency. They may try to get the victim to give them personal information or money by asking them to verify their account details or make a payment. Telephone phishing attacks can be very convincing, so it’s important to be aware of them and know how to protect yourself. If you receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from a trusted organization, do not give them any personal information. Hang up and contact the organization directly using a phone number that you know is real, such as the one on their website. If you think you’ve been targeted by a phone phishing attack, report it to the authorities immediately.
Types of phishing attacks
There are four main types of phishing attacks:
The telephone phishing attack
The telephone phishing attack is a type of phishing attack that uses the telephone to target a victim. This type of phishing attack is often used to target businesses, as it can be difficult to spot. The attacker will typically call the victim and pretend to be from a legitimate company or organization, such as their bank or credit card provider. They will then try to trick the victim into giving them sensitive information, such as their account number or password. This type of attack can be difficult to spot, as the caller may sound legitimate. However, there are some red flags to watch out for, such as the caller trying to rush you or asking for personal information that they should already have. If you receive a suspicious call, hang up and contact the company or organization directly to confirm that the call was legitimate.
How to protect yourself from phishing attacks?
If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from your bank, do not give them any information. Hang up and call the customer service number on your bank statement. Do not give out any personal information, including your social security number, date of birth, or mother’s maiden name. If you are unsure whether a call is legitimate, hang up and call the company back yourself using a phone number you know to be real. You can also protect yourself by being aware of how phishing attacks work. Many phishing emails will try to trick you into clicking on a link that will take you to a fake website. The website may look identical to the real website, but the URL will usually be slightly different. Be sure to check the URL before entering any login information. If you’re still not sure, contact the company directly to ask if they sent you the email before taking any further action. You should also have anti-virus software installed on your computer and keep it up-to-date. This will help protect you from malicious software that phishers may try to install on your computer in order to steal your information.
What is vishing?
Vishing is a type of phishing attack that uses the telephone to target a victim. In a vishing attack, the attacker will call the victim and pretend to be from a legitimate organization, such as a bank or credit card company. The attacker will then try to trick the victim into giving them personal information, such as their account number or Social Security number. Vishing attacks can be very difficult to detect, as the caller can often sound like they are legitimate. If you receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to be from a bank or other organization, do not give out any personal information. Hang up and call the customer service number for the organization to verify that the call is legitimate.
How does vishing work?
Vishing is a type of phishing attack that uses the telephone to target a victim. The attacker will typically call the victim and pose as a legitimate person or organization, such as a bank or credit card company. They will then try to trick the victim into giving them personal information, such as their credit card number or social security number. Vishing can be very difficult to detect, as the attacker may use spoofed caller ID information to make it appear as if they are calling from a legitimate phone number. If you receive a suspicious call, do not give out any personal information. Hang up and contact the organization using a phone number that you know to be legitimate.
Who is most at risk from vishing attacks?
Vishing attacks can target anyone, but there are some groups of people who are more at risk than others. These include people who work in customer service or other positions where they regularly give out personal information over the phone, as well as people who have recently applied for loans or credit cards. Additionally, seniors and other adults who may not be as familiar with technology are also at increased risk of becoming victims of vishing scams.
How can you protect yourself from vishing attacks?
In order to protect yourself from vishing attacks, you should never give out personal information over the phone unless you are absolutely sure you know who you are talking to. If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from your bank or another financial institution, do not give out any information. Hang up and call the customer service number on your account statements to verify that the call is legitimate. Never download anything or click on any links sent to you in an unsolicited email or text message. These may contain malware that can infect your computer or mobile device. If you think you may have been a victim of a vishing attack, contact your bank or credit card company immediately and report the incident. You should also change any passwords that may have been compromised.
Conclusion
Voice phishing, or vishing, is a type of phishing attack that uses the telephone to target a victim. The attacker will often pose as a legitimate entity, such as a bank or government agency, in order to trick the victim into giving up personal information. Vishing can be incredibly effective since it preys on people’s trust and can be very difficult to detect. If you receive a suspicious phone call, do not give out any personal information and hang up immediately. You should also report the incident to the authorities so that they can investigate further.
