Don't be a Victim of Vishing

Friday, Jan 25, 2008

LITTLE ROCK— Most Arkansans are familiar with "phishing" schemes, in which con-artists typically solicit personal, financial information via email. In these phishing schemes, the consumer is directed to a fake Web site where they are asked to input their bank account number, Social Security number or other information the con-artist can use to commit fraud. Phishing schemes such as these have been widely publicized, forcing scammers to come up with new ways to rip people off, which they have done. Thus, today, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued this consumer alert to warn Arkansans about "vishing" scams.

Vishing scams are phone-based; consumers receive an automated call or text message alerting them to a "security problem" and urging them to call their bank to reactivate their debit or credit card. When the consumer calls as instructed, she is asked to input her debit or credit card number in order to resolve the security problem. She may even hear a "Welcome to the Bank of…" message when she calls; unfortunately, the number provided by the scammer is not that of the consumer's bank, but rather to a phony call center run by the con-artist.

"In today's world, where information is exchanged at rapid pace, consumers have to take all unsolicited calls, text messages and emails with a grain of salt," said McDaniel.

Here are some tips to avoid falling victim to a vishing scheme:

- Do not give sensitive information in response to an unsolicited request for it;
- Call your bank directly using the customer service number on the back of your card, or
from another independent source such as a statement, to verify that the "security
problem" is legitimate; and
- File a complaint with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crime Complaint
Center or IC3, at http://www.ic3.gov/, if you have been targeted by a vishing scheme.