How to Respond to Vishing Attacks

In early February, five financial institutions in four states -- Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Mississippi -- reported being hit by telephone-based phishing, or "vishing," attacks. Those incidents were part of a series of similar attacks that have targeted institutions and their customers since last fall. Vishing is a form of phishing, where instead of people receiving an email trying to lure them into giving personal information, the criminal uses a phone call, either live or automated, to attack the bank or credit union customer and get critical information. (Here is an actual vishing attempt recorded by one institution.) In response to this spree of attacks, banking/security leaders from one of the impacted states have put together a vishing incident response plan for financial institutions. Posted in: Account Takeover Identity Theft