Nowadays, there are so many ways that hackers and fraudsters try to steal your personal information. Two recent and notable tactics are Vishing and Smishing.
Vishing and Smishing have the same goal – to steal users' personal and confidential information and, thus, have monetary gain. Although, their tactics for stealing said information are quite different. Here's what you need to know!
Vishing
Vishing is a strategy in which hackers and fraudsters use phone calls to steal your information. You'll know a Vishing Attack occurs if someone calls you pretending to be your financial institution, a police station, a government entity, or even the IRS. Often, the caller will have a very convincing tone of voice and try to say all the right things to get you to give them your personal information.
Hackers like to use Vishing because they can use just the right tone of voice to convince you to give them your personal information, access to your account(s), etc.
Smishing
Like Vishing, Smishing is a strategy by which hackers and fraudsters also attempt to steal your personal information or access to accounts, except through emails and text messages.
A common tactic hackers use is sending text messages or emails letting you know something is wrong with your account, and if you provide the login details, they'll help you fix it. Please don't fall for it! By giving hackers your confidential information, you give them a pass to steal your identity and even have monetary gain. If you are unsure whether you’ve fallen victim to a Smishing attack, here’s how to spot it.
If it seems suspicious, it most likely is
Trust your intuition, whether you think you've been a victim of a Vishing or a Smishing Attack. If you receive a call, email, or text message that seems suspicious, it probably is. These types of attacks are becoming very common, and it's important to educate and inform yourself.
