It seems the only constant is change. Unfortunately, scammers are continually learning new techniques. As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more accessible, more criminals are turning to ‘voice-phishing, or ‘vishing.’ AI technology allows the fraudster to steal the identity of someone’s voice in a recording to ask for money. One of the most common scams today is the ‘grandparent scam,’ where a criminal will simulate the voice of your grandchild and make up an emergency to request money.
When it comes to cyber and financial attacks, a commonly asked question is: how can we prevent them?
Thankfully, keeping certain tips in mind will help you identify potential attacks and avoid financial loss and identity theft.
Here are some key things to remember:
- Verify the phone call. You can do this by hanging up and calling the stated individual back at the regular number you use. Before you do anything, PAUSE. Cybercriminals rely on a sense of urgency. Don’t fall for it! Take time to accurately assess the situation.
- Don’t accept phone calls from numbers you don’t recognize.
- Don’t trust caller-ID! Spoofing (where fraudsters hide their phone number behind a recognizable name to trick the caller) is extremely common, and very easy to do. If you are ever in doubt, hang up and call the person or institution back.
- Confirm the stated emergency with other family members. Scammers rely on isolation and will often tell you not to tell anyone about this.
- Be cautious of links. If you don’t know who the text or email is from, do NOT click on any links.
- Unfortunately, relationship financial scams are growing in traction as the years go on. These scams involve fraudsters capitalizing on someone’s desire to be there for their grandchildren. This technique relies on the human instinct to help somebody they love. Do not share sensitive information (account credentials, passcodes, etc.) with anyone you do not know personally.
- Always remember- if something feels off, it probably is!
If you have been a victim of a vishing scam and your financial information has been compromised, contact us immediately. Time is crucial when it comes to preventing or minimizing financial loss. Contact us at (505) 889-7755 or (800) 347-2838 outside the Albuquerque area or visit us at any of our branch locations.
Nusenda Credit Union is committed to protecting your safety. We believe ongoing education for our members will help prevent this from ever happening. In 2023, Nusenda Credit Union protected our members from over 7.3 million in fraud!
For more resources on how to protect your identity and finances online, visit Nusenda Credit Union’s Security Center on our Security Center | Financial Security with Nusenda.