Vishing Scams Are On the Rise: How to Protect Yourself from Scammers

If you’ve answered your phone only to hear an automated voice simulation that attempts to sound like a real person or if you’ve noticed fake Caller ID profiles (Caller spoofing), you may have been the target of a vishing scam.

Vishing (a combination of the words “voice” and “phishing”) are scams targeting victims to give out personal or sensitive information over the phone. Vishing attacks are often used to steal a person’s identity or money. A visher might try to trick you into thinking they are an expert or a government official from the IRS or another governmental agency. Or they may prey on your emotions or create a false sense of urgency to encourage you to hand over information (these are classic signs of a social engineering attack).

If you get a strange phone call from a suspected visher, don’t engage. Hang up the phone and don’t give out personal information.

You can learn more about how to avoid vishing attacks in this Avira.com blog post.