The FBI has issued a warning about vishing and remote access attacks after employees at major companies were called by scammers pretending to be from IP Helpdesk. Cybercriminals urge these employees to download an app that will give them access to their devices. This app often contains malware which robs the victim of data.
The results of these scams have been staggering and have affected individuals, small companies, and large corporations. The high-profile celebrity imposter scam that affected Twitter in 2020 had its source in a spear phishing attack and a vishing attack when the scammer uses voice technology to sound like a trusted source.
Trader Defense Advisory assists companies and individuals who have been affected by identity theft and cybercrime. TDA experts have confirmed an uptick in client complaints about vishing and remote access scams, partly in response to the trend of working from home as the result of COVID-19.
As more people are working remotely, warns TDA, vishing and remote access scams are likely to increase to take advantage of the varying degrees of tech savvy among remote workers and awareness of these scams. Anyone who uses the internet, but particularly those who work remotely, should use best practices outlined by TDA to stay safe from having individual and company information compromised
TDA offers these tips to avoid vishing or remote access scams:
- Be suspicious of any case when someone, even if they are reportedly from your company, asking for direct access to your computer. It is almost never necessary.
- If you notice something suspicious, ask for a number and call the person back to verify it is them.
- Ask for a video call in addition to an audio call and ask to see documents or other forms of identification. Do not be concerned that it is rude to hang up on a suspicious call if it is in your company. You will most likely not get in trouble if you can demonstrate that you were worried it was a case of vishing.
- Ask for multiple types of verification before making money transfers or giving over data.
- Remember, most IT departments can give instructions that do not require direct access to computers or devices
If you have been the target of vishing or remote access scams, it is important to take steps immediately to track down the source of the scam and for fund recovery. Trader Defense Advisory has the resources to assist clients and combat various types of fraud.
Trader Defense Advisory offers clients a free consultation to assess their cases and design a roadmap for pursuing their claims. The TDA team advocates for clients and will fight back against Crypto and broker scams.
