More Scams

From Forbes: Be careful — it’s getting ever more dangerous out there. We’re not yet through month one of 2025, and the AI-fueled cyber attacks we were warned would dominate this year are already in full flight. And while there are some macro-level threats — Chinese hackers compromising our networks and Chinese AI compromising our phones, you’re still most at risk from your own mistakes as you let your guard down against the influx of everyday threats.

So it is with the wave of “phantom hacker” attacks “currently targeting Apple and Android products,” which the FBI has warned is “growing rapidly,” and which relies on a spoofed call from a victim’s bank tricking them into transferring money to stop it being stolen by a non-existent (phantom) hacker. “And they may even be able to spoof that bank’s phone number,” the bureau warns, “so the number on your caller ID or cell phone might show that it’s the bank.”

...The FBI’s warning could not be clearer: “Legitimate customer, security, or tech support companies will not initiate unsolicited contact with individuals.” There are no exceptions. None.

...It doesn’t matter what email address or phone number contacts you. If it’s unsolicited, if it’s out of the blue, if you have not explicitly reached out first, assume it’s a scam. Don’t take the call — hang up. It’s not your bank, it’s not Microsoft or Google or Apple or anyone else. It’s a sharp-talking, hardened scammer and the longer you talk to them the more likely it is that you and your money will be parting company.

Full story at https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/02/02/fbi-warns-iphone-and-android-users-stop-answering-these-calls/.

Bottom line: If you get an alarming text, email, or phone call, do not use the message in any way. Instead, independently contact the company or agency and ask if there is a problem. For example, there is a phone number on your credit card to contact the issuer. If you get a warning by text, email, or phone call purportedly related to your account, use the phone number on the card. Do not directly respond to the text, email, or phone call.

Note that we recently pointed to an email that was purportedly from UCLA IT - but was in fact a scam. See:

https://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2025/01/looks-dangerous.html.