Voice Phishing: How to Protect Yourself from Phone Scams

Voice phishing is a deceptive technique that cybercriminals employ to trick individuals into giving personal and sensitive information over the phone. But did you know that voice phishing is evolving rapidly with technology?

Cybercriminals are no longer restricted to traditional methods; they now use advanced tools to scale their attacks. With AI voice scamming, fraudsters can bypass recognition systems, impersonate trusted organizations, and trick victims into revealing sensitive information.

What is voice phishing?

Voice phishing is a form of social engineering in which fraudsters use phone calls to impersonate trusted entities, such as banks, government agencies, or even technical support teams.

The ultimate goal is manipulating the caller into sharing sensitive information, like account credentials, Social Security numbers, or financial details. These fraudsters are skilled at creating a sense of urgency or fear, pressuring victims into acting hastily.

According to a 2023 Federal Trade Commission report, imposter scams were the leading fraud category, with reported losses reaching $2.7 billion. These scams frequently involve perpetrators posing as a bank’s fraud department, government representatives, or even distressed relatives.

Voice phishing vs. vishing vs. smishing

While these terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to distinct methods of social engineering scams. Understanding the differences can help you recognize and protect against these threats.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the three for better understanding:

	Definition	Delivery method	Typical tactics	Examples
Voice phishing	A phone-based scam in which fraudsters manipulate victims into sharing personal or financial information.	Phone calls	Impersonating trusted entities, such as banks or government agencies, using caller ID spoofing to seem legitimate.	A caller claims to be your bank, warns of unauthorized charges, and requests account details to “secure” your funds.
Vishing	A subset of voice phishing, often emphasizing voicemail-based scams.	Voicemail or phone calls	Leaving urgent messages prompting victims to call back.	A voicemail claims unpaid taxes and threatens legal action unless you call the provided number.
Smishing	Text-based phishing scams are designed to trick victims into clicking malicious links or sharing personal data.	SMS or messaging apps	Sending links disguised as legitimate services, such as delivery updates or urgent account-related messages.	A text claims your account is locked and includes a link to “verify” your details.

Why voice phishing attacks are a growing threat

With technological advancements, these scams are becoming more sophisticated. For example, AI tools can simulate realistic human voices, automate conversations, and even tailor scams based on the target’s responses, increasing success rates across all channels.

Voice phishing is rising rapidly, fueled by widely available AI technologies that allow fraudsters to scale their operations. Tools like open-source text-to-speech (TTS) enable fraudsters to generate synthetic voices indistinguishable from real ones.

• According to a 2024 APWG report, vishing and smishing attacks rose 30% [in Q1 2024] compared to the previous quarter [Q4 2023].
• A McAfee survey revealed that one in four adults had experienced or knew someone affected by an AI voice cloning scam, with 70% unsure of their ability to distinguish cloned voices.

How does a voice phishing scam work?

Voice phishing typically unfolds in these stages:

• Initiating the call: Voice phishing scams often begin with a well-crafted call that seems genuine. The scammer may present as a bank representative, IRS agent, or tech support specialist. They can employ tactics such as Caller ID spoofing to make the call appear legitimate.
• Creating urgency: Once they have your attention, they will develop a sense of urgency. They might claim your account is compromised, your taxes are overdue, or your computer is infected with a virus. This urgency is designed to make you drop your guard.
• Extracting information: Scammers may ask for personal details, like your Social Security number, birth date, or account passwords. They might even request a financial transaction to “secure” your account.
• AI-driven tactics: With the advancements in AI technology, they are also implementing tactics such as:
  • Synthetic voices are used to perform account reconnaissance or bypass Interactive Voice Response IVR authentication.
  • Provide accurate responses to security questions and one-time passwords (OTPs).
  • Deploy voice bots to impersonate targeted individuals or organizational IVA agents, gathering internal information and bypassing fraud detection systems.

Common voice phishing techniques

Impersonation scams

These scams involve fraudsters posing as trusted institutions, like banks or government agencies, to lure victims into disclosing personal information. They may claim your account has been compromised and request your account details to “secure” it. Always verify the caller’s identity independently before sharing any information.

Tech support scams

Scammers pretending to be technical support agents claim that your computer is infected or experiencing issues. They will request remote access to your system or demand payment for their “services.” Never grant remote access to unknown callers or make payments to resolve issues you weren’t aware of.

Bank scams

Voice phishing scammers may claim to be from your bank and tell you that there is a problem with your account. They may then ask you for your account number, PIN, or Social Security number. For example, a scammer might tell you that your debit card has been compromised and that you must immediately provide your new PIN.

Government agency scams

Vishing scammers may claim to be from a government agency like the IRS or the Social Security Administration. They may tell you that you owe money or that your identity has been stolen. For example, a scammer may say to you that you owe back taxes and that they will garnish wages if you don’t pay immediately.

How voice phishing scammers might use the stolen information

Voice phishing scammers can use the stolen information in various malicious ways. Here are some common scenarios:

• Identity theft: With access to your Social Security number and personal details, scammers can commit identity theft. They may open credit accounts in your name or engage in other criminal activities using your identity.
• Financial fraud: Scammers can use your financial information, such as credit card details, to make unauthorized purchases, withdraw funds from your accounts, or transfer money to themselves.
• Account takeover: If scammers obtain your login credentials for online banking, email, or other accounts, they can take control of these accounts. This can lead to further exploitation and privacy invasion.
• Phishing: Scammers may use the stolen information to craft convincing phishing emails or text messages. By impersonating trusted organizations or contacts, they can trick you into revealing even more sensitive information or clicking on malicious links.
• Blackmail: Scammers might threaten to reveal embarrassing or compromising information they have acquired, coercing you into paying them to keep it secret.
• Romance scams: If scammers have gathered personal details about your life, they may use this information to build trust in romance scams and manipulate you emotionally.
• Social engineering: The stolen information can be used for further voice phishing attempts. Scammers can contact you again, armed with more details, to make their calls even more convincing.

Voice phishing red flags to watch for:

• Unsolicited calls asking for sensitive information: Legitimate organizations rarely request such details out of the blue.
• Pressure tactics and urgent requests: Scammers often create a false sense of urgency.
• Requests for payment via unusual methods: Beware of demands for payment through gift cards or wire transfers.
• Poor audio quality or background noise: This can indicate a scam call.
• Inconsistent information: Verify details that seem contradictory.
• Unusual caller behavior: Scammers may act overly aggressive or evasive.

How to protect yourself from voice phishing scams

1. Be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls from trusted organizations

Be cautious of any unsolicited phone call claiming to be from a trusted organization. Legitimate entities typically do not make unexpected calls to ask for your personal information.

2. Never give out personal information over the phone

If you are unsure about the legitimacy of a call, hang up and call the organization back at a known phone number.

3. Be wary of urgency and scare tactics

Legitimate organizations will not pressure you to make a decision immediately, and they will not threaten you with legal action or financial losses if you do not comply with their demands.

4. Notice unusual caller behavior

Be alert to inconsistencies in the caller’s behavior, such as evasive answers, overly aggressive tactics, or reluctance to verify.

5. Beware of calls from unfamiliar phone numbers

If you don’t recognize the number, let the call go to voicemail and verify its legitimacy before responding.

6. Do not call back phone numbers left on your voicemail

Scammers often leave voicemail messages that contain a callback number. You may be connected to a scammer if you call back this number.

7. Avoid clicking on links in text messages or emails

Links claiming to be from trusted organizations can lead to phishing websites designed to steal your personal information.

8. Use call blocking and caller ID features

Leverage call-blocking technology and caller ID to filter unknown or potentially fraudulent calls.

9. Regularly update your security software

Ensure your security software is up-to-date to help detect and block phishing attempts and malware.

Leverage technology to combat voice phishing

Fraudsters can successfully scam a caller and then use the information they gather to attack contact centers, attempting to complete unauthorized transactions that can be costly.

Today, technology can combat  the consequences of voice phishing, especially as it evolves. By pairing voice analysis with additional factors like liveness detection, organizations can enhance fraud detection in contact centers–helping catch suspicious behavior early. These tools help distinguish between human and synthetic or machine-generated voices, providing a stronger defense against sophisticated scams.Additional technologies that strengthen security include multifactor authentication (MFA), fraud detection, and deepfake detection software. These solutions are especially critical for industries like banking, which are the primary targets.

Additional technologies that strengthen security include multifactor authentication (MFA), fraud detection, and deepfake detection software. These solutions are especially critical for industries like banking, which are the primary targets.

Defend against voice phishing and protect your organization with Pindrop^Ⓡ solutions

In the fight against voice phishing, Pindrop provides cutting-edge tools to safeguard sensitive interactions in contact centers. Pindrop® Pulse leverages advanced liveness detection software, analyzing vocal features to distinguish human voices from synthetic ones. These solutions integrate seamlessly with existing Pindrop solutions, providing enhanced authentication and fraud detection.

By using Pindrop® Passport, organizations can implement multifactor authentication, pairing voice analysis with other security measures for unparalleled accuracy.

Take the next step in securing your operations—request a demo today and discover how Pindrop can help protect organizations from voice phishing scams.