By now most of us have become programmed to ignore the e-mail messages we receive from foreign princes promising to send us thousands of dollars in return for doing a simple favor. These types of scams have been around for years and are a form of "phishing"; criminals trick people into handing over their bank account number, credit card info, social security number or other valuable data using malicious e-mails or Web sites pretending to belong to banks or online auction services.
But a similar, though less well-known type of scam - "vishing" - is becoming more prevalent.
Voice phISHING, also called "VoIP phishing" is the telephone equivalent to phishing. Vishing is a scam using voice over IP to gain access to a victim's personal information.
Typically, victims receive a call from a recorded voice informing them that their bank account is frozen and also provides a toll-free number to utilize to reinstate the account. When you call that number, you will be asked to verify your personal information. Once you do that, you have provided the criminals with the data they need to steal money from your bank account, or steal your identity. And in the last couple of years vishing attacks have seemed to occur most often over a holiday when the bank is closed and there is no easy way to confirm the validity of the call.
Consumers need to be wary of such calls. If you receive such a call, you should:
.... STOP. Do not respond immediately. It is always best to be cautious and slow to respond.
.... THINK about why your bank would be asking for this information. Remember, no legitimate business would request a customer to verify personal information such as PINs, bank account numbers or SSNs over the phone unless you initiated the contact with the institution using a phone number obtained from the phone book or a bank statement.
.... CALL your bank directly the next business day they are open, and call local law enforcement to report the scam.
Criminals are constantly inventing new techniques or variations on old ones to steal personal information. If you are ever in doubt about a request, immediately contact the police and your financial institution. Both are well equipped to determine the legitimacy of the request and will be happy to offer assistance.
