Vishing: how to spot the phone scam in time

Vishing combines “voice” and “phishing” (identity theft) and exploits the trust placed in human communication, according to the Superintendency of Banks. “They stole all the money from my account,” lamented a young man in a video that went viral: scammers called him pretending to be his bank and asked for his token number.

How the deception works

The criminal poses as a bank employee, a technical service or even the police. Their goal is to create urgency with phrases like “we have detected a suspicious withdrawal” so the victim hands over passwords, card numbers or confirms transfers. They also use “spoofing” techniques: they manipulate the caller ID so the call appears to really come from the bank. Once they have the data, they empty accounts, take out loans in the customer’s name or hijack their online banking.

The three warning signs

The Superintendency of Banks highlights three almost infallible indicators: urgency or pressure — “you have to do it right now or you will lose your money” — requests for sensitive information — passwords, 3-D Secure data, CVV, token — and unusual hours or formats, such as calls outside business hours.

What to do if the alarm sounds

At any suspicion, hang up immediately and call the bank’s official number on the card, website or app. Never use the number given by the caller or the one shown on the call. The golden rule: no financial institution will ask for passwords, verification codes (OTP), the full card number or the CVV by phone.

How to protect yourself daily

The six recommended practices are: keep bank data absolutely confidential, verify the sender before opening links, enable transaction alerts to detect unauthorized movements in time, use strong and unique passwords, avoid public wifi networks for banking, and report any attempt. If information was already given, time is crucial: call the bank to block, change passwords and file a complaint with the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for High-Tech Crimes (Pedatec).

The practical takeaway

Bank information is worth as much as cash, and no bank will ask for it by phone. Distrusting messages demanding immediate action is not paranoia: it is the first line of defense against fraud.