---
title: "How to Defend Against Voice Phishing | Phish Protection"
description: "  Vishing, or voice phishing, can appear in various garbs, and strict adherence to cybersecurity best practices is required for its prevention."
image: "https://phishprotection.com/og/blog/how-to-defend-against-voice-phishing.png"
canonical: "https://phishprotection.com/blog/how-to-defend-against-voice-phishing/"
---

Quick Answer

Vishing \_ , or voice phishing \_ , can appear in various garbs, and strict adherence to cybersecurity best practices is required for its prevention. If you think phone scams have become a thing of the past, think again. Malicious actors are carrying out Vishing (voice phishing) campaigns through phone calls, and they can cause as much damage as other social engineering attacks.

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Vishing \_\_ , or \_\_ voice phishing \_\_ , can appear in various garbs, and strict adherence to [cybersecurity](/content/cybersecurity-in-a-nutshell) best practices is required for its **prevention**.

If you think **phone scams** have become a thing of the past, think again. Malicious actors are carrying out Vishing (voice phishing) campaigns through phone calls, and they can cause as much damage as other [social engineering attacks](/phishing-awareness/social-engineering-attack-twilio-compromises-employee-accounts-customer-data). Besides looking into what voicing phishing is and its examples, this article also shares tips for**voice phishing protection**.

### What Is a Vishing Attack?

Vishing

, or[voice phishing](/phishing/voice-phishing-surfacing-cyber-threat-whatsapp)\_ _, is a cybercrime in which threat actors use mobile phones to steal personal information._ In a vishing attack, adversaries use social engineering tactics to persuade users to provide confidential and sensitive information, which they can use for **financial fraud**.

#### The Persistent Threat of Vishing Attacks

While some might believe that phone scams are a thing of the past, vishing (voice phishing) campaigns prove otherwise. These [malicious activities conducted through phone calls](https://thehackernews.com/2023/03/fakecalls-vishing-malware-targets-south.html) have resurfaced with a vengeance, posing **significant risks** similar to other social engineering attacks. 

![Prevent spear phishing](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2023/08/prevent-spear-phishing-3456.jpg) 

### Vishing Attack Examples

According to a report, over 14 million Americans are impacted by identity theft incidents annually, costing customers[over $1.7 billion](https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-identity-theft-and-cybercrime). Most American fraud incidents involve **telephone-based** **communication**. Some examples are:

- **_Banking Scams:_** Vishing actors attempt to steal a consumer’s financial information, like bank account details and credit card numbers. They use an ID that **looks genuine** to impersonate a legitimate entity and trick their victims (ID spoofing). For example, the scammer poses as the CFO of an organization and persuades the employee to transfer funds to his account.
- **_Unsolicited Loan and Investment Offers:_**[ Malicious actors](/cybersecurity/malicious-actors-embrace-ai-chatbots-for-advanced-cyber-attacks) will call the victims promising **unrealistic deals** like get-rich-quick schemes or quick fixes for paying off debts. Victims are asked to respond quickly by paying a fee.
- **_Social Security and Medical Care Scams_**_:_ Threat actors choose vishing to **target elderly citizens**. They pose as Social Security or Medicare Administration’s representatives. They will steal personal information like Social Security or [Medicare numbers](https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/other-industries/australian-financial-company-latitude-torn-to-shreds-by-customers-after-hacking/news-story/52d5cf16d31efc201a5e3dd872924604) and use it to commit financial fraud.
- **_Tax Scams:_** Scammers will send a **pre-recorded message** posing as an IRS Officer and inform the target regarding an issue with their tax returns. They spoof [the caller ID](https://globalnews.ca/news/9786072/never-trust-caller-id-scams-york-police/), and the call appears to be from the IRS!

#### Targeting Vulnerable Demographics

Elderly citizens often bear the brunt of [vishing attacks](https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/news/365532243/Vishing-attacks-increasing-but-AIs-role-still-unclear), wherein scammers masquerade as representatives of Social Security or Medicare administrations. By coercing victims to **reveal personal information**, including Social Security or Medicare numbers, attackers orchestrate financial fraud.

### Tips to Avoid Vishing Attacks

The best

voice [phishing prevention](/content/phishing-prevention)

method is to **ignore such phone calls**. _Telecoms deploy fraud detection systems that display “Fraud Risk” on caller ID if a user receives a known malicious call._ However, you must rely on more than telecoms to prevent

vishing

. It would help if you also observed the following precautions:

- **_Keep information Discreet:_**

Don’t share your private information like your driver’s license and passport information or login credentials over the phone. It will keep your identity and accounts safer.

- **_Join The National ‘Do Not Call’ Registry:_**The [‘Do Not Call’ registry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National%5FDo%5FNot%5FCall%5FRegistry) is a **free service** that will remove your mobile number from the malicious phone call lists.
- **_Verify Unknown Numbers:_**Many applications allow you to verify unknown numbers calling you.
- **_Confirm with the ‘Calling Organization’:_** If your bank appears to be calling you, but you need clarification, **call the bank** and see if they tried to contact you. While it may cost you some time, being cautious will help protect your [confidential and sensitive information](https://www.kold.com/2023/08/23/29000-individuals-personal-confidential-information-may-have-been-breached-tusds-cyberattack/).
- **_Identify scare and pressure tactics:_**Malicious actors will pressure you into sending money immediately through bank transfers, credit cards, or gift cards. For example, to convince users to fall for the [IRS scam](https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/more-heat-to-worry-about-three-very-hot-irs-scams-072423.html), attackers threaten them with jail time if they **do not send money** immediately.
- **_Be skeptical:_**You must remain suspicious about any caller requesting confidential and sensitive information. It is advised to keep information private from the caller, regardless of where they claim to work.

![Anti phishing software](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/2023/08/anti-phishing-software-2134.jpg) 

### Final Words

The best business tactic for organizations for

voice [phishing protection](/)

is to observe **good cybersecurity practices**. The initial step could involve providing new employees with security awareness training, ensuring they understand the risks posed by vishing attacks to a business. This training would also include [phishing awareness training](/products/phishing-awareness-training) to further enhance their preparedness.

Organizations must ensure their employees never allow access to anyone to **guarded information** systems except verified technicians.

## Topics

[ Phishing Awareness ](/tags/phishing-awareness/) 

![Brad Slavin](https://media.mailhop.org/phishprotection/images/authors/brad-slavin.jpg) 

[ Brad Slavin ](/authors/brad-slavin/) 

General Manager

Founder and General Manager of DuoCircle. Product strategy and commercial lead across DuoCircle's 2,000+ customer base.

[LinkedIn Profile →](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradslavin) 

## Protect your inbox from phishing attacks

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[Start Free Trial](https://portal.duocircle.com/cart.php?a=add&pid=101&brand=phishprotection) [View Pricing](/pricing/) 

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