“Apple Care” Vishing Attacks

One of our partners, KnowBe4, recently warned of vishing attacks (like phishing, but by phone).  Each of us needs to be protective of our personal information.  In this case, if you use Apple products, please be especially vigilant, as a new scam is underway.

As shared with Safety Net by KnowBe4:

KnowBe4 Scam of the Week: Watch out for “Apple Care” Vishing Attacks

Vishing scams are on the rise. Be aware of the common signs of a vishing attack to avoid becoming a victim.

The latest attack goes like this: You receive a call from “Apple Care” claiming your iCloud information has been part of a data breach. The scammer asks you to log in to your computer so they can establish a remote connection with you and determine the cause of the issue. If you follow their instructions, you’ll be allowing the phony “Apple Care” representative to take over your computer, where they can download malicious files or access any personal or private information they’d like to.

To avoid falling for vishing scams, remember these tips:

• If you receive a call from a company that is urging you to complete a request and warns you that something bad will happen if you don’t follow their instructions, hang up immediately and call the company directly to investigate.
• Whenever you need to call a company, make sure you are calling the correct and official number, and not a phony “customer service” line that was set up to trick you or steal your information.
• Vishers can spoof any phone number they’d like to. That means that even if a call looks like it is coming from a familiar or safe source, it could be a scam.
• Never provide personal information over the phone unless you are the one who initiated the call.