‘Just hang up’ Millions of Android and iPhone owners told if anyone asks for three things – and beware ‘spoof’ trick
A NEW telephone scam is on the rise, but experts say there are key ways to protect yourself.
Phishing emails are being displaced by a new scheme known as voice phishing, which is carried out over the phone.
In such an arrangement, scammers call unsuspecting individuals and dupe them into revealing personal information in order to gain access to their accounts.
So widespread is the problem that computer security company McAfee released a guide titled “How to Avoid Being Phished by Your Phone” earlier this week.
Experts say three particular clues should raise red flags.
“If you receive a phone call from either a person or a recording requesting passwords, personal info, or money, just hang up,” wrote Jasdev Dhaliwal, a director of marketing at McAfee.
One scheme that is common around the tax season sees scammers impersonating IRS agents in an attempt to steal personal information.
Another well-documented example is the tech support scam, in which a scammer poses as an IT expert and demands access to online accounts.
While some fraudsters may use a generic recording claiming to be from a bank or credit union, others are turning to AI tools in so-called “voice cloning” attacks.
With these applications, scammers can replicate someone else’s voice with remarkable accuracy – including friends and family members.
The Federal Trade Commission issued a warning for this type of scam in March 2023.
“All (a scammer) needs is a short audio clip of your family member’s voice — which he could get from content posted online — and a voice-cloning program,” the agency wrote.
“When the scammer calls you, he’ll sound just like your loved one.”
To make the scheme even more convincing, fraudsters may fake the origin of a call through caller ID spoofing.
They can utilize Voice over Internet Protocol technology, which connects calls over the Internet, to assign incoming phone numbers and pose as a relative or even a bank.
Call spoofing factored into a scam sweeping the Las Vegas area earlier this month, which saw one woman lose thousands of dollars.
The anonymous victim received a call that showed her bank’s name on the caller ID. She was instructed to check her account, where she spotted two fraudulent transactions.
The scammers later took the scheme a step further, with one showing up on doorstep and destroying her credit card by snipping it in half.
The criminals racked up $9,000 in charges that woman has yet to see returned to her account.
To avoid falling victim to a scam, no matter how complex, McAfee encourages customers to be generally cautious.
While a call may appear to be coming from a legitimate business, it might be a spoofed caller ID.
The company recommends one tried and true trick: if you think your bank might be calling you but aren’t sure, hang up and call them back directly.
Users are also encouraged to list their mobile and home phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry.
This database is maintained by the United States federal government and includes the numbers of parties who have requested that telemarketers do not contact them.
Phone scam statistics
Americans are bombarded with three billion spam phone calls a month. What are the figures regarding the number of victims and the amount of money lost to fraudsters
- In 2022, Americans lost some $39.5 billion to phone scams, with 68.4 million US citizens affected, according to TechReport.
- The average phone scam victim lost $567.41 each in 2021, a major rise on the 2021 figure of $182 per victim, according to Hiya.
- The majority of scams happen over the phone, with fraudsters twice as likely to call compared to text in 2021, as reports the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
- In 2021, the US saw a 56% increase in spam phone calls with 60% of those being robocalls.
- US residents experienced an average of 18 spam phone calls per month, although some experts believe the true figure may be as high as 31 per month.
- Many phone calls from reputable businesses may be marked wrongly as spam, but 38% of companies have no idea whether they’re being marked as “potential fraud” or not, according to Hiya.
- Never hand over any personal or financial information if you suspect a phone call is a scam. For instance, your bank will never ask you for such details in full over the phone.
- To cut down on spam phone calls and scams, sign up for the Do Not Call Registry. Telemarketers, by law, will need to check that list before they call you up.
- Downloading third-party apps such as Hiya, Nomorobo, or Truecaller can help filter out annoying spam calls.
- Try not to share your phone number unless you have to, especially online or with sketchy sources.
However, there is a catch: the Registry stops sales calls from real companies but cannot keep scammers from breaking the rules.
McAfee also encourages people to think of unconventional ways to dodge fraudsters, like using a special word or phrase with loved ones to undermine voice clone attacks.
“In the case of an unusual call or message, use this safe word to verify each other’s identity,” Dhaliwal wrote.
“Avoid using easily guessable phrases and periodically change the safe word for added security.”