Vishing Attacks Are Up 442%—And They’re Coming for Your Family and Your CEO
There’s a new scam in town—and it’s wearing a familiar voice.
You’ve probably heard of phishing. But now there’s vishing—voice phishing—and according to CrowdStrike, it’s up 442% this year. What’s scarier? It doesn’t just target your grandparents. It targets your business too.
Old Trick, New Tech
Remember those old-school scams where a “relative” called grandma claiming to be stuck overseas, arrested, or held hostage by gangsters? They needed money fast—usually via gift card, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer.
Now, that scam has a tech upgrade.
Cybercriminals are using AI to clone voices. With just 30 seconds of audio—scraped from social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook—they can impersonate anyone. Your grandmother’s “grandson” might not be her grandson. And your finance team’s “CEO” might not be your CEO.
Vishing in Real Life
- Family Edition: Your grandmother gets a call. It sounds like her daughter. The “daughter” claims she’s in trouble and needs $5,000 wired immediately.
- Corporate Edition: Your CFO gets a call from “you” urgently authorizing a wire transfer. Voice matches. Caller ID matches. But it's fake.
These aren’t theoretical. They’re happening daily.
How to Fight Back
Whether you’re protecting grandma or protecting your clients, here are three ways to shut down a vishing scam:
- Set a Challenge Word: Agree on a secret family or internal company codeword. If someone calls in a panic? No code word = no action.
- Call Back on a Known Number: Never trust an incoming call blindly. Hang up and call the person back using a number you already know.
- Pause the Panic: Scammers use urgency. Remind people: real emergencies rarely require instant fund transfers. Especially not via crypto or gift cards.
Final Word
This isn’t just about grandma. It’s about CEOs, clients, kids, and everyone in between. If you’re not educating your clients—or your family—you’re leaving the door wide open.
