Maybe that database includes information on your email address, which will allow the scammer to continue their campaign of phishing without you realizing it. Maybe they have a partial database of credentials stolen from various websites, which could include more information on you. Maybe your phone number is tied to different accounts. If a spammer has your phone number, then it may be possible for them to get other information. Social Engineering is a tactic used everywhere, and often results in astounding success because people in general are ill-equipped to handle it.
All I needed was a few bits of information about myself. In fact, just recently, I was able to social-engineer a customer service representative for an account of mine by providing details on things I knew about me, without actually providing any real concrete details, or even providing my identity. Have you ever tried to contact customer service for anything important, such as banks, online game accounts, websites, etc? Usually, they need specific information from you, or someone pretending to be you, in order to handle your request. Your information helps scammers engage in Social Engineering tactics This is a problem with many gullible people: they can't really think outside the box, and not realize it's the same type of scam, but with different features.
The reason why they'd want to limit knowledge is that many folks may be searching for a particular scam, not exactly their specific scam. By limiting their attacks only to the gullible, they've found a very good way to limit detection and knowledge of their particular scam. In fact, if they target everyone, then that also increases the chance of their scam becoming well-known. It's far cheaper and easier to target people individually, especially those gullible enough to call the number. If they're sending an infected video or picture to multiple recipients, they may quickly run out of data. Let's assume the spammer has developed, or found, a program that helps with automatically dialing phone numbers.
Text spammer can i call the pollice password#
If you're the gullible type, chances are you don't have a good password policy, or you could be tricked into visiting a malicious website, or both.īut why not just send infected videos or pictures to everyone? Learning more about you allows an attacker to guess secret answers, passwords, etc. While they could easily target all phones at once by using some form of auto-messaging feature, this may be easily stopped by carriers. There may also be an exploit in your phone's processing of various messages/content types. If you're dumb enough, they may call you from other numbers, or forward you to another number. If you're dumb enough to call them, you may be gullible enough to fork over additional information.
Text spammer can i call the pollice code#
The spammer can also easily fake the same area code as you, and set up a clever social engineering trick that may involve you thinking with the wrong head. If you call them, the spammer can find out if that phone number is owned by an actual person.It could be a hack, or it could be a prelude to a hack. How could a hacker possibly access sensitive information just by tricking someone into calling.
I am curious if calling the number would do something to my phone. You may not know anything happened until weeks later when your personal information has been stolen or compromised.Can you get "hacked" by calling a number? Opening a message could allow malware on your devices. “Whenever you get a spam text or something you suspect is a spam text, delete it,” said Fowler. Step one - Never reply to a spam text message KPRC2 Investigates has five steps you can take right now to stop spam messages on your devices. “And you might not even know it’s happening until you realize your credit’s been compromised.” How can you stop spam messages? “And yes, they know mommy and daddy’s passcode and they get into our phones when we are not looking and they can open up things and hit that link,” said Cavatore. He’s also a father with two young boys who worries about his kids seeing these text messages and opening them. “Everything is at stake, whether it’s your personal logins to emails, your credit card information, your personal data, anytime you click on one of these links you’re potentially putting that at risk,” said Fowler.įederico Cavatore is the owner of the popular Cavatore Italian Restaurant in the Heights.