IT Consulting in the Bay Area: Beware of VoIP Phishing Scams

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones, just like other devices connected to the Internet, can be targeted by cybercriminals. Scammers have found sophisticated ways to exploit weaknesses in VoIP via vishing scams. The scams work much like regular phishing attacks where a scammer impersonates a legitimate entity and asks the potential victim to disclose sensitive information. IT consulting experts in the Bay Area have discovered some of the vulnerabilities that phishing scammer can exploit to infiltrate your VoIP systems.

Scammers Can Create Fake Numbers Using VoIP

It is incredibly easy for cybercriminals to create fake numbers in VoIP systems and launch vishing scams. That way, they can effectively hide their tracks and minimize the risk of getting detected. Using a fake number, a scammer can impersonate a bank or government agency and ask for sensitive information from your unsuspecting employees. Scammers can also manipulate local telephone numbers to emulate reputable organizations, which they can then use for various VoIP phishing scams.

VoIP Scamming is Less Costly

Although traditional phones are still targeted by phishing scams, they don’t match the efficiency that VoIP affords. VoIP systems allow attackers to target victims across the globe at a fraction of the cost. Many scammers have resorted to VoIP scamming because the cost per call is much less.

VoIP is Easy to Set Up But Hard to Track

It is quite straightforward to set up a VoIP system, which makes it simple for scammers to make fraudulent phone calls. VoIP hardware such as IP Phones, IP-PBXs, and routers are also quite affordable and easy to access. Cybercriminals can conveniently connect these devices to PCs to record your phone calls and steal sensitive information from your conversations. Moreover, fake numbers are difficult to track since the scammers can ditch them at any time once they have accomplished their mission.

Hackers Can Tamper with Caller ID

In some vishing scams, hackers don’t even have to ditch a number to cover their tracks. They can simply trick users into believing that they’re talking to a legitimate PayPal representative, Microsoft technical support staff, or a fraud investigator by tampering with the caller ID. That’s why you need a foolproof cybersecurity solution from an IT consulting solutions provider in the Bay Area.

How to Protect Your Business!

We recommend setting up strict policies on information sharing to safeguard your business from VoIP phishing scams. Impose stringent security processes for all your business communications and educate your employees about the guidelines to ensure that scammers are held at bay. It also helps to work with IT services experts in the Bay Area for better protection.Get in touch with us at Riverfy to help you develop foolproof policies to protect your company against all types of phishing scams and other cyber-attacks. Our IT consulting team in the Bay Area is ready to help you!