Unheeded Warnings: Abstain from Responding to These Calls on Your iPhone or Android Devices (FBI Advice)
A wave of phishing scams sweeping the United States has targeted multiple states, with Las Vegas and Phoenix being the latest cities to issue warnings from the FBI. The alarming trend, allegedly orchestrated by Chinese hackers, involves fraudulent toll charges and continues to escalate. Additionally, a newly emerged scam, even more insidious, is on the rise.
Criminals are posing as law enforcement or government officials to trick victims into divulging sensitive information or funds. Most of these scams are executed via email, displaying fake FBI logos or photos of the FBI Director to appear authentic. However, a large proportion of these interactions occur via phone calls, with scammers manipulating Caller ID to display seemingly genuine government numbers.
The FBI advises the public to hang up immediately upon such calls and report the incident to local authorities. While these scams may seem obviously false, scammers have been known to use convincing tones that catch unsuspecting victims off guard. It is crucial to remember that genuine law enforcement will never contact individuals over the phone or via email to demand money or issue threats of arrest.
Scammers have employed various tactics to dupe victims, such as:
- Claiming impending arrest if payment is not remitted.
- Requesting funds to apprehend a criminal.
- Directing victims to transfer money to foreign accounts or use cryptocurrencies or gift cards.
- Misleading statements regarding frozen Social Security numbers or promised inheritances.
These tactics closely resemble earlier "phantom hacker" scams, where scammers pretended to be from banks and instructed individuals to move money to supposedly safe accounts or resolve computer issues remotely.
The FBI's Philadelphia office has issued a warning about scammers posing as law enforcement officers, while the San Francisco Police previously warned the Chinese community about people pretending to be local health workers, U.S. government officials, or even Chinese police officers.
In some instances, these scams involve video calls, with the scammers wearing Chinese police uniforms and utilizing fake police station backdrops. Victims are coerced into downloading apps like Signal or Skype for further communication regarding a fabricated crime or fraud.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) scams, using threats related to immigration status and potential deportation to demand prompt payments, have also surfaced previously. Scammers thrive on capitalizing on significant news events, so this new scam may lead to an increase in scams related to tariffs in the near future.
Despite the escalation of this latest scam, the ongoing unpaid toll scam remains a significant concern, with scammers utilizing an intricate phishing kit, written in Chinese, to facilitate the spread of these scams across numerous states.
Chance Caldwell, a cybersecurity expert from Cofense, cautions the public to be cautious about the potential risks to their personal devices. Scammers can easily generate fake phone numbers and falsely represent themselves, emphasizing the importance of vigilance.
According to Bleeping Computer, there has been a significant increase in a mobile scam involving fraudulent text messages. These messages have become so prevalent that numerous individuals are becoming inundated, with some receiving up to seven scam texts daily.
Security expert Caldwell explains that SMS phishing, or "smishing," poses a growing threat as almost everyone owns a phone and routinely checks text messages. Scammers send these messages to random numbers, counting on the fact that many people will view them. Unlike emails, texts are less well-protected, and companies cannot monitor employee activities on their personal phones like they can with work emails.
To protect yourself from these scams, experts advise exercising caution with links found in text messages, especially when the message allegedly comes from a bank or government agency. Another warning sign is if the message was sent to multiple recipients. Experts recommend deleting suspicious messages and never providing personal information or making transactions upon receiving such requests.
- The latest wave of phishing scams, involving fake FBI officials, has expanded beyond toll charges to trick victims into revealing sensitive information or funds, a trend that closely resembles earlier "phantom hacker" scams.
- In addition to emails, a large portion of these scams now occur via phone calls, with scammers manipulating Caller ID to display seemingly genuine government numbers.
- It's important to remember that genuine law enforcement will never contact individuals over the phone or via email to demand money or issue threats of arrest, but scammers have been known to use convincing tones that might catch unsuspecting victims off guard.
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