What is vishing and how does it relate to phishing?

Vishing, short for “voice phishing,” is a type of social engineering scam where individuals use phone calls to deceive people into revealing sensitive information or performing actions that compromise their security. Vishing typically involves the caller pretending to be a trustworthy entity, such as a bank or a government agency, in order to trick the victim into providing personal or financial information.

Vishing is closely related to traditional phishing methods, which involve fraudulent emails or websites designed to trick individuals into divulging sensitive information like passwords or credit card details. The key difference is that vishing relies on voice communication rather than electronic messages to carry out the scam.

Both vishing and phishing aim to exploit human vulnerabilities such as trust, urgency, and lack of awareness to deceive individuals into divulging confidential information. These scams can lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and other forms of cybercrime. It is essential for individuals to be cautious and verify the authenticity of any request for sensitive information, especially when it comes through unsolicited phone calls or emails.