{"id":16809,"date":"2019-11-06T12:10:03","date_gmt":"2019-11-06T20:10:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/2019\/11\/06\/news-10548\/"},"modified":"2019-11-06T12:10:03","modified_gmt":"2019-11-06T20:10:03","slug":"news-10548","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/2019\/11\/06\/news-10548\/","title":{"rendered":"Here are the most popular robocall scams and how to avoid them"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Credit to Author: Christopher Boyd| Date: Wed, 06 Nov 2019 18:52:11 +0000<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We recently examined how robocall scams are a <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/privacy-2\/2019\/10\/growing-rate-of-robocalls-threatens-user-privacy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">serious threat to privacy<\/a>, alongside the astonishing rate at which their volume continues to increase. Forty-three billion calls in 2019 with an average of 131 calls per person in the US alone is not something to be sniffed at. No matter<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span>how careful you are with your number, no matter which security measures you take, it can all be undone with one leaked database\u2014then you\u2019re on another list, forever.<\/p>\n<p>Despite all precautions, it\u2019s sadly inevitable that you\u2019ll eventually wind up on a robocalling list or two. Then it\u2019s a case of limiting damage and endless number blocking. Automated dialing ensures they\u2019ll never, ever get tired of calling you unless you take some preventative action.<\/p>\n<p>This week, we\u2019re going to look at some specific examples of robocalls, the types of threats they present, and what&#8217;s at stake, including loss of privacy, finances, or even both simultaneously.<\/p>\n<h3>Can we listen to some robocall recordings?<\/h3>\n<p>You sure can.<\/p>\n<p>A writer for Marketplace decided to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marketplace.org\/2019\/10\/22\/what-i-learned-by-chatting-with-chinese-robocallers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">take some of these robocalls<\/a> instead of simply hanging up to see what kind of scam was on offer, and recorded portions of the calls. If you ever wanted to hear an authentic Chinese robocall scam in action, then today\u2019s your lucky day.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the call introductions are quite inventive. As always, there\u2019s the faintest whiff that you may have done something wrong\u2026maybe\u2026and even if you didn\u2019t, your details may be in the hands of criminals. You\u2019d want to get that sorted out as soon as possible, especially if the nice person at the bank is telling you to do so. Right?<\/p>\n<p>As far as specifics go, tactics involve:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Claiming your information was on debit cards sold illegally<\/li>\n<li>Claiming your identity has been stolen<\/li>\n<li>Claiming irregular activity has been flagged on your bank account<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As with many similar scams, fraudsters are hoping potential victims are so rattled by these claims that they won\u2019t notice they\u2019re being primed for information. Why would a bank or similar institution ask you to confirm your name without volunteering it themselves? The answer, of course, is that they don\u2019t have it and can\u2019t address you unless you tell them first.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a basic slice of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cold_reading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">cold reading<\/a>, frequently deployed by con artists and tricksters who\u2019d rather you just hand over what they need so they can turn it back on you.<\/p>\n<h3>Robocall scams targeting Chinese students<\/h3>\n<p>As demonstrated in the Marketplace article, there\u2019s a solid wave of Chinese language robocalls right now, something which seems to have begun in earnest around two years ago. While the calls emulate the most common robocall tactics\u2014fake caller ID, spoofing a trusted business entity, leaving a short automated message hoping you\u2019ll press a specific number on your phone\u2014they deploy some additional measures designed to bait, harass, and worry Chinese targets as much as possible.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Last month, I looked at how mainland China\u2013based scammers are <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/scams\/2019\/09\/international-students-in-uk-targeted-by-visa-scammers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">targeting Chinese students in the UK with threats of deportation<\/a>. Focusing on immigration status, alongside mentions of embassies and potential legal trouble <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pcmag.com\/news\/367491\/chinese-embassy-robocall-scam-rakes-in-40m-from-victims\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">all make an unwelcome reappearance<\/a> in US robocalls. Students once again have become popular targets, whether resident in the United States or simply visiting. Fraudsters even make use of text and send potential victims sensitive information about themselves, such as passport scans\u2014just like the international student attacks in the UK.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not just happening in the US; the same tactics exploded into life in Australia in May 2018, with threatening calls supposedly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smh.com.au\/national\/scammers-target-chinese-community-with-threatening-phone-calls-20180518-p4zg5i.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">coming from the Chinese embassy in Canberra<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Press 1 to perform a fake kidnapping<\/h3>\n<p>Possibly the most extreme version of robocall scams involves staged kidnappings. After the standard \u201cYou\u2019re in trouble\u201d robocall messages, things take a sharp turn into the surreal as scammers convince people to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news.com.au\/technology\/online\/security\/chinese-community-loses-15-million-to-distressing-fake-kidnapping-scams-in-2019\/news-story\/480144afce90e59e95732cdc1fdf0c80\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">take photos of themselves as if they\u2019ve been kidnapped<\/a>, before sending said imagery to other relatives who\u2019ll be told they need to pay a ransom. People don\u2019t want their relatives falling foul to terrible kidnappers, so of course it\u2019s pretty much game over in the \u201cwill they, won\u2019t they\u201d pay up stakes.<\/p>\n<h3>Is that really Apple robocalling you?<\/h3>\n<p>Another popular robocall tactic involves spoofing the geniuses at Apple. On October 31, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt put out an alert regarding <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ky3.com\/content\/news\/ON-YOUR-SIDE-CONSUMER-ALERT-Missouri-atty-gen-warns-of-fraudulent-Apple-support-calls-564182751.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">robocalls where the scammers pretend to be Apple support<\/a>. You know all those endless, awful fake Apple emails clogging up your inbox on a daily basis? They\u2019re down the other end of your telephone now, hunting for personal information and money.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h2Uev0VDBrM\" data-rel=\"lightbox-video-0\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h2Uev0VDBrM<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The recorded message plays out like this:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>This is Molly from Apple Support. We have found some suspicious activity in your iCloud account, that your iCloud account has been breached. Before using any Apple device please contact an apple support advisor<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>They even leave a phone number you can dial later if you don\u2019t have time to process the robocall when they ring you.<\/p>\n<h3>Robocall SSN scams<\/h3>\n<p>It seems there\u2019s something in the air at the moment, because <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/newsroom\/taxpayers-should-be-on-the-lookout-for-new-version-of-ssn-scam\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the IRS warned of Social Security Number robocall scams<\/a> making the rounds on October 24. These aren\u2019t people pretending to be embassies; they\u2019re more akin to those Facebook viral chain hoaxes where talented hackers will delete your profile by a certain date unless you repost their message.<\/p>\n<p>Here, they\u2019re threatening to wipe your SSN unless you address a fictitious unpaid tax bill. As per their own advice, neither the IRS nor their collection agencies will ever:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, iTunes gift card or wire transfer. The IRS does not use these methods for tax payments.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>Ask a taxpayer to make a payment to a person or organization other than the U.S. Treasury.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>Demand taxes be paid without giving the taxpayer the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Internet and offline scams have a long history of flagging themselves as fake by throwing decidedly unofficial payment methods (iTunes vouchers, Steam gift cards) into supposedly official routines. These would appear to be no different.<\/p>\n<h3>The other social security scam<\/h3>\n<p>The Social Security Administration (SSA) scam became prominent in September 2019, but hasn\u2019t really gone away. The pattern is familiar: There are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumer.ftc.gov\/blog\/2019\/09\/social-security-not-trying-take-your-benefits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">claims of benefits being suspended<\/a>, with the only way out being money wires, or cash being placed onto gift cards.<\/p>\n<p>Attacks along these lines can take <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/scams-fraud\/robocall-scams-get-more-sophisticated-and-costly\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">terrifying amounts of money<\/a> away from their victims. And they don\u2019t just focus on the elderly: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/tech\/tech-news\/robocall-scams-are-costing-us-billions-millennials-are-prime-target-n748901\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Anyone and everyone<\/a>, including millennials, can be a target as far as robocallers are concerned.<\/p>\n<h3>A problem for everybody<\/h3>\n<p>While the majority of robocall articles focus on calls coming from China, the problem isn&#8217;t confined to that region. Indeed, the US has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wired.com\/story\/on-the-trail-of-the-robocall-king\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">more than its fair share<\/a> of robocall-related issues, with five US states contributing to the top locations for robocall origination. Mexico, the Philippines, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and India complete the list, <a href=\"https:\/\/infogram.com\/070819-robocalls-world-origin-1h7j4djook9d4nr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Alex Quilici, CEO of robocall-blocking app YouMail, told <em>USA Today<\/em> that he estimates \u201chundreds of millions\u201d of calls originated from <a href=\"https:\/\/eu.usatoday.com\/story\/tech\/2019\/07\/09\/where-robocalls-come-from-and-where-they-target\/1660503001\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">inside the US<\/a>. In June 2019, the FTC cracked down on US-based robocalls, and reported that the majority of scams they shut down were based in California and Florida.<\/p>\n<h3>What can we do about it?<\/h3>\n<p>As robocalling has been such a common problem over the years, we already have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.malwarebytes.com\/scam-call\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">full rundown on what you can do to avoid these attacks<\/a> as best as possible. The people behind them will continue to slather us with their nonsense pressure, fictitious time limits, and bizarre fake kidnapping requests. But there&#8217;s one simple way to ensure they never win: Just don&#8217;t pick up the phone.<\/p>\n<p>Avoid all that chaos by resisting the temptation to press buttons or pick up and yell. Robocall scammers have been known to ensnare even the most savvy users. Simply let unknown numbers ring into the void forevermore. When your identity and bank account are safe and sound, you&#8217;ll be glad you did.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/scams\/2019\/11\/here-are-the-most-popular-robocall-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them\/\">Here are the most popular robocall scams and how to avoid them<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\">Malwarebytes Labs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/scams\/2019\/11\/here-are-the-most-popular-robocall-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them\/\" target=\"bwo\" >https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/feed\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Credit to Author: Christopher Boyd| Date: Wed, 06 Nov 2019 18:52:11 +0000<\/strong><\/p>\n<table cellpadding='10'>\n<tr>\n<td valign='top' align='center'><a href='https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/scams\/2019\/11\/here-are-the-most-popular-robocall-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them\/' title='Here are the most popular robocall scams and how to avoid them'><img src='https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/shutterstock_1525854482.jpg' border='0'  width='300px'  \/><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td valign='top' align='left'>We dip back into robocall scams, exploring some of the most popular tricks and tactics used to part people from their money and personal information.<\/p>\n<p>Categories: <\/p>\n<ul class=\"post-categories\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/category\/scams\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Scams<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Tags: <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/banks\/\" rel=\"tag\">banks<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/chinese-robocalls\/\" rel=\"tag\">chinese robocalls<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/chinese-scams\/\" rel=\"tag\">chinese scams<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/chinese-student-scams\/\" rel=\"tag\">chinese student scams<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/fake-kidnapping-scams\/\" rel=\"tag\">fake kidnapping scams<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/federal-trade-commission\/\" rel=\"tag\">Federal Trade Commission<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/ftc\/\" rel=\"tag\">FTC<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/immigration\/\" rel=\"tag\">immigration<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/irs\/\" rel=\"tag\">IRS<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/phones\/\" rel=\"tag\">phones<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/robocall\/\" rel=\"tag\">robocall<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/robocall-scams\/\" rel=\"tag\">robocall scams<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/robocalls\/\" rel=\"tag\">robocalls<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/scam\/\" rel=\"tag\">scam<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/social-security\/\" rel=\"tag\">social security<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/tax\/\" rel=\"tag\">tax<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/tag\/visas\/\" rel=\"tag\">visas<\/a><\/p>\n<table width='100%'>\n<tr>\n<td align=right>\n<p><b>(<a href='https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/scams\/2019\/11\/here-are-the-most-popular-robocall-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them\/' title='Here are the most popular robocall scams and how to avoid them'>Read more&#8230;<\/a>)<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\/scams\/2019\/11\/here-are-the-most-popular-robocall-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them\/\">Here are the most popular robocall scams and how to avoid them<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.malwarebytes.com\">Malwarebytes Labs<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[10488,10378],"tags":[16278,23387,23388,23389,23390,10664,10665,4854,11187,12063,22652,23391,12789,3985,10574,5600,6338,20274],"class_list":["post-16809","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-malwarebytes","category-security","tag-banks","tag-chinese-robocalls","tag-chinese-scams","tag-chinese-student-scams","tag-fake-kidnapping-scams","tag-federal-trade-commission","tag-ftc","tag-immigration","tag-irs","tag-phones","tag-robocall","tag-robocall-scams","tag-robocalls","tag-scam","tag-scams","tag-social-security","tag-tax","tag-visas"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16809","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16809"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16809\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16809"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16809"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.palada.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16809"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}