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Voice Phishing Scams Are Getting More Clever

krebsonsecurity.com

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Re: Voice Phishing Scams Are Getting More Clever

#91

Post by eyesee »

If I were able, I would disable incoming telephone calls entirely (consider that a feature request, Apple). The phone system today is fundamentally untrustworthy because of caller ID spoofing, and the phone companies involved are culpable for not addressing this problem.

A new ID system using PKI could eliminate the spoofing problem completely. Yes, I'm sure it would require a huge coordinated effort. Given spam calls will exceed 50% of all calls next year [1], this should be seen as an existential crisis for phone companies.

[1]: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/spam-robocalls-will-soon-acco...

Re: Voice Phishing Scams Are Getting More Clever

#93

Post by cm2187 »

EamonnMR wrote: post #38
phkahler wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No options. Make it mandatory and make it unable to be faked.

It wouldn't really need to be mandatory, just something that cell providers and reputable businesses provided. Then phone companies could start rejecting anything that didn't provide it.

But how does the telco in the last node know the caller id is accurate? They can only tell that the data is coming in that direction but it could have been routed multiple times before (if phones work like the internet protocol). The only telco who can ensure that must be the one who initiated the call (exactly like IP spoofing).

Re: Voice Phishing Scams Are Getting More Clever

#94

Post by rustcharm »

paul7986 wrote: post #34

Easy solution don’t answer phone calls from those not in your contacts.

Huh? The caller ID was spoofed. Read the article.

> Cabel Sasser is founder of a Mac and iOS software company called Panic Inc. Sasser said he almost got scammed recently after receiving a call that appeared to be the same number as the one displayed on the back of his Wells Fargo ATM card.

Re: Voice Phishing Scams Are Getting More Clever

#95

Post by rustcharm »

saudioger wrote: post #18

This is why I don't answer the phone unless it's a contact. Everyone else can leave a message.

Did you read the article? The Many people have their bank or credit union in the contacts. This won't help if they're spoofing a bank number.

> Cabel Sasser is founder of a Mac and iOS software company called Panic Inc. Sasser said he almost got scammed recently after receiving a call that appeared to be the same number as the one displayed on the back of his Wells Fargo ATM card.

Re: Voice Phishing Scams Are Getting More Clever

#96

Post by deathanatos »

phkahler wrote: post #23

The problem here is the ability to spoof caller ID. This should not be possible. Regulations set up the phone system, regulations need to make this change. I don't care what excuse anyone has, don't care about your stupid PBX or any of that. Caller ID should be mandatory and reliable. Having said that, always assume someone calling you is a fraud. If your "bank" calls you, tell them you'll call back and don't call a…

> Having said that, always assume someone calling you is a fraud. If your "bank" calls you, tell them you'll call back and don't call a number they provide over the phone or in caller ID.

I did this to a student loan company. The caller ID was that of my parent's house, and the woman on the other end was incredulous that anyone would demand that she prove who she was.

And it turned out to be legitimate, incredibly, though I certainly did not think so at the time.

Re: Voice Phishing Scams Are Getting More Clever

#97

Post by wil421 »

aero142 wrote: post #21
jerf wrote: post #7

I'll give you the flip side of the scammer's deterioration of trust in the phone... a few months back I got a phone call from what appeared to be my bank, and they were asking me about a fraudulent charge that I didn't recognize. Worried that this was the beginning of a scam, I delayed a bit on the phone while I logged in independently to my bank account... and lo, yes, indeed, there was a fraudulent charge to my acc…

It makes me laugh when my banks fraud department calls me and then asks me to verify myself to them by giving personal information before asking me questions. I usually laugh at them and tell them they they are the unverified party in this phone call, not me. I always pull up the website and confirm before telling them anything.

The real pros know that and will request you call them back. Bank of America didn’t ask me to do this but I was able to verify what they said on my banking app.

Nordstrom was actually one of the few places that I’ve encountered who does this. Someone stole my identity and tried to open a credit card at their store. As soon as I verified it’s wasn’t me in the store she asked me to call back immediately. She wouldn’t even give me a call back number told me to go their website and find it.

Re: Voice Phishing Scams Are Getting More Clever

#98

Post by aviv »

rb808 wrote: post #16

How come in 2018 we can't get a reliable CallerID. Surely this is something that could be simply regulated. Perhaps there should be a few types of CallerID - verified, physical and nominated. Eg a company calls you with a verified ID (like TLS), a local number from a single line is physically authenticated and anything else is just a best guess. That way we can filter more reliably.

Same reason you still get junk mail. Money.

Re: Voice Phishing Scams Are Getting More Clever

#99

Post by nradov »

Retric wrote: post #75
walrus01 wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is no way to fix the ability to spoof caller ID with the way SS7 is built. Not without breaking functionality to something like 85% of the installed base of PBX and phone switch equipment, most of which is anywhere from 10 to 45 years old. The legacy telco SS7 phone system needs to be burnt to the ground and rebuilt, but it never will be, because people have moved on to friend-opt-in based message platforms lik…

I just want the major cellphone companies numbers to show up correctly and everything else can be ???. That does not require fixing all these other systems.

How exactly could they do that for calls originating outside their network? Most spammers are using VoIP, not cell phones on major US companies.

Re: Voice Phishing Scams Are Getting More Clever

#100

Post by afo »

chasingthewind wrote: post #33
afo wrote: post #20

We (Nomorobo) have a bunch of recordings of this type of scam. They're scary. https://nomorobo.com/lookup/844-386-9815

Love your service! I've been using it for a few years now I think and it's really helped. Thanks!

Thanks! I really appreciate the support. These voice spam calls have gotten out of control.
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