A new mobile phone scam is taking smartphone users by shock as scammers make use of audio recordings to extract unwanted as well as fraudulent charges. This advancement comes a few weeks after the notorious Gmail phishing scam that robbed hundreds if not thousands of clients of their login credentials.
As reported by Fortune, the phishing email scam involved the attachment of what appeared to be a pdf but was in fact a phishing link leading to a fake Gmail login site which extracted login credentials of multiple users. Now, the police are concerned that scammers are targeting users' smartphones.
The scammers behind the scheme aim to call their victims and ask a simple question which would result in the answer "yes". Once the person on the other line says the word "yes", it is recorded and the affirmative response is used to authorize unwanted and fraudulent charges. The scamming scheme is called "can you hear me?"
Despite the fact that more than just a "yes" is required to make purchases, the scammers might just already have access to sensitive personal data such as credit card numbers. The recorded "yes" is then used to attempt to show that your permission was attained to undergo the purchase.
The best way to get around this widely spreading scam is to ensure that all calls from unknown numbers go to voicemail. People whom you may already know will definitely call back or leave a voicemail. It is important to ensure that you verify the caller and not disclose any kind or form of personal information.
At times scammers tend to masquerade as credit card companies or government agencies. Note that legitimate requests from these organizations are never made over the phone. Signing up for services to analyze incoming calls and block numbers with a high number of registered complaints will help. One such service is Nomorobo.
In case you suspect yourself to have fallen for a scam, make sure to check all your bills and rigorously dispute any form of unrecognized billings instantly. Upon noticing any form of unusual activity, contact a credit reporting agency and place a fraud alert on your credit file.
