A new kind of identity theft scam, with thieves using easy-to-obtain VoIP telephone numbers to trick Internet or telephone users, is beginning to pop up, said a cybersecurity vendor.
Related to phishing scams, the new scheme uses cheaply obtained VOIP numbers as bogus credit card or financial services telephone numbers, said Paul Henry, VP of strategic accounts for Secure Computing.
The company has observed only two such scams so far, but it expects the practice to 'explode,' Henry said.
With Internet users being warned about clicking on hyperlinks in unsolicited e-mail, the new scam includes a phone number instead, Henry said. 'It's a natural elevation of the art to move it to the telephone,' he said. 'People are getting nervous about clicking on links.'
In the new scam, which Secure Computing calls 'vishing,' identity thieves ask potential victims to call a phone number attached to a VoIP account, easily obtained online through services such as Skype or through retailers reselling VoIP products such as Vonage Holdings, Henry said.