Most of know about Phishing, but have you heard of Vishing and smishing??
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Vishing and smishing are two emerging types of cybercrime. Both entail the use of social engineering techniques to dupe people into disclosing sensitive information. In this blog, we'll look at what vishing and smishing are, how they work, and what you can do to avoid becoming a victim of these scams.
What exactly is Vishing?
Vishing is a type of phishing fraud in which victims are duped into disclosing personal and financial information by using voice contact. A fraudster will often call the victim and pose as someone they are not, such as a bank representative, a government official, or a technical support agent. The fraudster will then attempt to convince the victim to divulge sensitive information such as their credit card number, bank account information, or social security number.
How does Vishing operate?
Typical phishing scams include the following steps:
1. The fraudster will obtain the victim's phone number using a variety of techniques, including purchasing phone numbers from data brokers or harvesting them from web directories.
2. The fraudster will call the victim and pose as a bank representative, a government official, or a technical support agent.
3. The fraudster will attempt to instill panic or urgency in the victim, such as suggesting that there has been suspicious activity on their account or that they are about to be penalised or arrested.
4. The fraudster will then request personal or financial information from the victim, such as their credit card number, bank account information, or social security number.
What exactly is Smishing?
Smishing is a type of phishing fraud in which text messages or SMS are used to mislead people into disclosing personal and financial information. A fraudster will often send a text message to the victim acting as a reputable organisation, such as a bank or a government body. The fraudster will then attempt to convince the victim to divulge sensitive information such as their credit card number, bank account information, or social security number.
What is the process of Smishing?
Smishing schemes usually consist of the following steps:
1. The fraudster will obtain the victim's phone number using a variety of techniques, including purchasing phone numbers from data brokers or harvesting them from web directories.
2. The fraudster will send the victim a text message acting as a reputable organisation, such as a bank or a government body.
3. The text message will usually include a website or phone number that the victim is instructed to call or click on in order to disclose personal or financial information.
4. The fraudster will attempt to instill panic or urgency in the victim, such as suggesting that there has been suspicious activity on their account or that they are about to be penalised or arrested.
5. The fraudster will then request personal or financial information from the victim, such as their credit card number, bank account information, or social security number.
How Can You Avoid Vishing and Smishing Scams?
Here are some best practises to follow to avoid vishing and smishing scams:
1. Be cautious about unwanted phone calls or text messages. Be wary if you receive a call or text message from an unknown number and do not reveal any personal or financial information.
2. Confirm the identification of the person or organisation that has called or texted you. If someone claims to be from your bank or a government organisation, get their name and contact information and independently verify it before sharing any critical information.
3. Do not follow links or call phone numbers included in unsolicited text messages. Instead, go to the organization's official website and locate their contact information there.
4. Install and keep anti-virus software up to date.
