Via SecurityFix -
Last year, we started to see cases of voice phishing or "vishing" attacks. That's when bad guys send e-mails urging people to call an automated 1-800 number that prompts callers to enter their credit card data. Now scammers are targeting mobile phone users by luring would-be victims with short text messages - can "tishing" be far behind?
News of this latest twist on phishing comes from Paul and Robin Laudanski, the husband and wife founders of the anti-phishing and security group CastleCops. Robin received a questionable text message on her Verizon mobile phone. It alerted her that she had exceeded her cell-phone plan's allotted number of text messages, and urged her to call a 1-800 number to purchase additional minutes.
The duo called the non-Verizon number. A man -- not an automated system -- answered and asked for her mobile telephone number. They promptly hung up.
When I tried the number yesterday evening, I was redirected to a message with a woman's voice that said: "Thank you for your interest in Verizon Wireless. Our offices are currently closed. Please call back during normal business hours." Robin said she'd alerted federal law enforcement about the scam and confirmed with a Verizon technician that the 800 number did not belong to the phone company.
No comments:
Post a Comment