ITS has noted an increase in “vishing” phone calls being reported. Vishing, or voice phishing, occurs when imposters utilize features on Voiceover IP (VoIP) phones, such as spoofing caller ID, to solicit confidential information from people. Scam calls can include people posing as a member of the IRS, FBI, or technical support seeking personal details, like social security numbers, credit card information, or login information.
How can you avoid vishing scams?
ITS is reminding all of our users to avoid sharing their credentials and personal information, whether on the phone or via email. Additionally, never let anyone remote into your work device using anything other than the system ITS officially uses – https://assist.med.cornell.edu.
When you receive calls:
- Be suspicious of unknown callers
- Don’t trust caller ID
- Ask for details about who is calling and call them back using their main number (e.g., the main number for your bank or the official FBI number from their website)
- Report any incidents of vishing to ITS and the Federal Trade Commission
More details about vishing can be found on this website: http://www.cnet.com/news/protecting-yourself-from-vishing-attacks/