Vishing, short for “voice phishing”, is a type of social engineering attack that involves using voice communication, typically over the phone or through VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), to trick individuals or organizations into revealing sensitive information or taking specific actions. Vishing attacks often aim to steal personal, financial, or confidential information, such as credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, or login credentials.
In a vishing attack, the attacker may impersonate a trusted entity, such as a bank, government agency, or tech support representative, and create a sense of urgency or fear to manipulate the victim into providing the requested information or taking harmful actions. Vishing attacks can also involve automated phone calls with recorded messages (robocalls) or interactive voice response (IVR) systems that prompt victims to enter their personal information.
Common vishing scenarios include:
- Impersonating Financial Institutions: Attackers may pose as bank representatives or credit card companies, claiming there is a problem with the victim’s account and requesting sensitive information.
- Tech Support Scams: Scammers pretend to be tech support personnel from reputable companies and claim that the victim’s computer or device is infected with malware. They then persuade the victim to grant remote access to their device or pay for unnecessary services.
- IRS or Tax Scams: Fraudsters impersonate IRS agents and threaten victims with legal action or arrest for alleged tax violations. They demand immediate payment or sensitive personal information.
- Phony Charity Calls: Scammers may call and request donations for fake charities, taking advantage of victims’ goodwill.
To protect against vishing attacks, individuals and organizations should:
- Be cautious about sharing personal or financial information over the phone, especially if the call is unsolicited.
- Verify the identity of the caller by independently looking up their contact information (e.g., from an official website) and calling them back.
- Avoid responding to urgent or high-pressure requests for information or actions.
- Use call-blocking and caller ID verification tools to filter out potential vishing calls.
- Educate themselves and their employees about vishing and other social engineering techniques.
Vishing attacks continue to evolve, and it’s essential to stay vigilant and skeptical when receiving unsolicited calls or requests for sensitive information over the phone.