础肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉听are听on the rise,听targeting members of the public with warnings of unauthorized logins or account activity. Of course,听some of these messages are legitimate and not part of fraudster-led听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉.听Scams听such as this play on the emotions of the victim; scammers are counting on the message recipients to spring into action to protect their accounts from scammers, unknowingly becoming a victim of the听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉听until it is too late.听听
What are account scams?听
Accounts听scams听are听fraudulent听robotexts, robocalls or emails that听appear to be听from a service provider, alerting you to unauthorized logins or suspicious account activity. With so many of us now using digital services or going 鈥榩aperless鈥 with our communications,听the reports of听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉听are rising.听听
Some of the services that听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉听reported to听TNS听have impersonated:听
- Bank听accounts听听
- Mobile payment apps听
- Cryptocurrency exchanges听
- Streaming services听
- eCommerce websites听
- Email accounts听
Who is at risk of 补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉?听
In today鈥檚 digital world,听almost everyone听is at risk of falling听victim听of听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉.听We rely on communications from our service providers via phone calls,听SMS听or email, making impersonation听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉听one of the most popular with scammers today.听听
The best rule of thumb is this – if your email address, landline听number听or cellphone number is linked to any听service account that you have, you are at risk of听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉.听听
Common听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉听
From the reports that听TNS鈥 Robocall Protection team has seen,听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉听are taking many different听forms. This is听likely due to听the听myriad听of ways that we can now听communicate with service providers 鈥 a convenience in today鈥檚 digital world, yet听a plethora of opportunity for scammers.听
Common types of 补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉听include:听
- Robocalls and听robotexts听(smishing)听
- Phishing emails听
- Fake login pages听
础肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉听examples听
TNS鈥櫶齊obocall Protection team听have听received听an SMS听message from scammers impersonating a popular cryptocurrency platform.听
This messages听looks like a legitimate two-factor authentication听message听that the platform might send to users after requesting a withdrawal听鈥 in this case, it is a听fake withdrawal. However,听for听platform听that the scammers are impersonating, this is not听usual听procedure 鈥 an immediate red flag听that this is听part of the听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉听that the听TNS听team听have听been seeing.听听
For those users of the platform that called the number, believing this to be an unauthorized withdrawal from their听account, the following听would have听likely听happened:听
- A scammer impersonating听a call agent for the cryptocurrency platform听warned that someone was trying to access their account and immediate action must be taken听
- Scammer would then听request听that the target听moved their current assets around to a different account or even听request听that they open an account with another app听
Again, these are both immediate signs of听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉. Legitimate听representatives will never ask a user to perform these acts.听听
The TNS Robocall Protection team have also received robocalls impersonating mobile payment apps听in an attempt to听illicit funds as part of their听account scams.听听
Below is a transcript (with the company redacted) of a robocall听related to the 补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉听currently doing the rounds:听
鈥淗ello Kenosha Maldonado. This is the听[Redacted]听Fraud hotline. We are sending this automated call because someone is trying to change the password for your听[Redacted]听account. If听it’s听not you, please press 1.鈥听
This听particular mobile听payment app also听offers debit and credit services, so the听account scams听impersonating this company can gain access to听a lot more accounts 鈥 and a lot more money 鈥 should their targets听believe the call.听
Account Scams听Red Flags听听
础肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉听appear legitimate on the听surface,听however听there are many red flags that give听the phone听calls, SMS听messages听and emails away as听scams.听Above all, it听is important not to panic or let emotion override your听rationality听鈥 this is what scammers are counting on happening.听听
Red flags of听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉听include:听
- Suspicious听links or URLs听鈥 a classic phishing tactic, the URLs may look听legitimate at first glance, however听there is usually something slightly different from a legitimate link. If in doubt, do not click.听
- Unusual login notifications听鈥撎齭uch as the SMS message听example above, receiving messages听regarding听login听attempts听or unauthorized withdrawals are both signs of听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉. These may be听legitimate but听always check听with the provider before听clicking听any links in these messages.听
- Requests for personal information 鈥 any correspondence that asks for your login details, passwords or PIN numbers are not legitimate; service providers will never request your personal information.听
- Urgent or threatening language听鈥撎齩ne of the universal red flags of听scam, including听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉, is the use of urgent or threatening language. Legitimate businesses would never听try and force you into making withdrawals, threaten with arrest or anything that demands immediate action.听
How to stay safe from听补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉听
Any online services can be impersonated as part of the ongoing听spikes听in听account scams听that we are seeing.听The tips mentioned above can be applied to any suspicious messages claiming unauthorized听access to your accounts or alerting you to听fake withdrawals.听听
If you believe that you have been a victim of 补肠肠辞耻苍迟听蝉肠补尘蝉, you should听immediately听contact your bank and report the incident to the FTC.听
It is always best practice to never engage with unknown numbers and report phone numbers being used by scammers to your carrier. If you believe you are a victim of a听scam, you can report it to your local听police, state听Attorney听General鈥檚听office听and the听FTC.听
Call-blocking apps, including those powered by TNS Call Guardian庐, are also a great resource for reporting and blocking unwanted robocalls. Stay vigilant, share information about听scams听with听others听and be sure to check our monthly Scam of the Month page for updates.听
John Haraburda is听Product听Lead for TNS Call Guardian庐 with specific responsibilities for TNS鈥 Communications Market solutions.听
Call Guardian is a registered trademark of Transaction Network Services, Inc.听听
Scam of the Month
Stay vigilant, share information about scams with others and check out our Scam of the Month page updates.