How do I become a victim of a vishing scam?

Vishing scams can take many forms, but they usually involve two vectors, both of which are designed to get you to give up your information.

The first method is voice phishing, which is designed to get you to answer the phone. In some cases, the fraudster will pose as a bank official or an official from a government entity such as the IRS. They may even say they are from a cyber security company. Depending on the angle they take, the fraudster will try to trick you into believing that your personal information is at risk, that it has been stolen, or that you simply owe money. They will then send you a link to a fraudulent website that will be used to steal sensitive information and credentials from your bank account, email account or any other data they are targeting.

Voicemail phishing scams are designed for people who use services such as WhatsApp for voice messaging. While voicemails are left on their work phones, they may also be used for corporate users who receive emails.

While an email or message from a scammer may appear legitimate and appear to come from a genuine voicemail service, this is not the case. Instead, when you click on a link in an email to listen to your voice message, you will find a malicious page designed to steal your information.