Security is an integral part of our daily lives – we ensure our front doors are locked and windows are shut when we leave the house, we leave the light on to make it look like someone is home, and we spend money on the latest alarm systems with the most colourful of boxes to deter any potential criminals looking for their next target. On the other hand, for many, digital protection is an alien concept – with the likelihood of a security breach has risen by 27.7% – it is essential business owners open their eyes to the potentially disastrous ramifications of a breach.
Let us explore a particular kind of security breach to be aware of and how to guard against it.
Vishing
Vishing breaches are almost the same as their similar-sounding counterpart -Phishing breaches – both use deception as their vehicle to extract sensitive information from the user, but there is one key difference – Vishing is performed using VoIP phone systems as opposed to malicious emails and links like Phishing breaches.
Vishing fraudsters have utilised the increased anonymity that VoIP provides in comparison to traditional telephony. VoIP enables the use of caller IT spoofing; making it a difficult task for authorities to track, locate, and make the scammers pay for their actions.
The clever tactics of the scammer don’t change much between scams. Both methods invoke a sense of urgency in their target by using fear tactics and emotional manipulation to panic their target into believing they have to act and act fast.
Vishing – The things you NEED to know
Making an informed decision between the legitimate and the fake is the key to keeping yourself safe online.
The persona the ‘Visher’ chooses to take can vary widely, the most common of which is your bank or trusted financial institution. Arguably a clever tactic, most individuals pay particular attention to correspondence they receive from their bank, credit card company etc.
As previously mentioned, most messages will carry a sense of urgency; ‘act now or something bad will happen, for example. Some instances of this are as follows:
- “Unauthorised transaction on your account – call this number immediately to freeze your account’.
Such messages can be difficult to ignore when it raises the possibility that your financial assets are at potential risk. The best course of action is to contact your bank using channels you know you can trust.
There are also instances that Vishing scammers ‘dangle the carrot’ of a prize as a way of tempting you to part with your details.
- “Congrats, you’ve just won our weekly prize draw. Please deposit a ‘returnable fee’ to claim your prize.”
In this situation, the so-called ‘returnable fee’ is money you will never see again.
Vishing scammers use these and numerous other inventive methods to lure people into making payments or parting with sensitive information.
How to protect yourself from Vishing attacks
While most calls we receive on a daily basis are from legitimate sources it’s vital to remain vigilant, especially if a caller asks enquiring questions or wants you to disclose identifying or account-specific information.
Use the following as a guide to ensure you don’t fall victim to these criminals.
- Don’t give in to pressure. Be wary if the caller is using emotive language to create a sense of emergency or urgency.
- Ignore unknown numbers. If legitimate the caller will tend to leave a message(s) allowing you to reach out to them.
- Stay in control. Good scammers will have an answer for everything, so if you’re unsure just hang up and get on with your day.
- Don’t be fooled by smooth talk.
- Be aware. Know the techniques the scammers use and keep a lookout for warning signs.
Falling foul to one of these scams can leave the victim feeling gullible and silly, but this could not be further from the truth as some of the most tech-savvy people out there are targeted every day. All we can do is be sure we are equipped with the tools and education that make us capable of picking the scammers out of the crowd.
We’re Exi-Go, how can we help?
We at Exi-Go are on a mission to help our clients make sense of IT. Our partnerships with experts in the sector ensure we are always at the forefront of innovation in the tech industry and provide business IT solutions through friendly service. We want to become a part of your team and help you prosper with IT as your ally. Contact us now to see how we can help you.
We’re a trusted provider of IT Support and managed technology services to businesses & organisations across the UK from our bases in Watford and Manchester. Our ethos places people before technology; ensuring that we make technology work for you, your business and your team.
Contact us for more information on 0203 096 2220 or hello@Exi-Go.com