INDIANA – The FBI has issued a new alert regarding an “ongoing malicious text and voice messaging campaign” targeting iPhone and Android users. This sophisticated scam involves “malicious actors” impersonating senior U.S. officials to deceive individuals, including current or former U.S. federal or state government officials and their contacts.
How the Scam Works:
The fraudulent scheme utilizes “smishing” (phony text messages) and “vishing” (AI-generated voicemails). These techniques are designed to trick recipients into divulging personal financial information.
The scammers gain access by sending targeted individuals a malicious link, often under the pretense of moving to a different messaging platform. If successful, access to personal or official accounts could be used to target other government officials or their associates and contacts, leveraging trusted contact information obtained. This acquired contact information could also be used to impersonate contacts to elicit further information or funds.
If you receive a message purporting to be from a U.S. official, especially a high-profile one, do not assume it is legitimate. The FBI advises against responding to these messages and recommends deleting them immediately.
The Dangers of Clicking Links:
Once a target is directed to another site, scammers may introduce malware or hyperlinks that lead to pages designed to steal login credentials, usernames, and passwords. For smishing, the fake texts often appear to be from an associate or family member’s phone number. In vishing and other audio/video messages, the scammers are increasingly exploiting AI-generated audio to impersonate well-known public figures or personal relations, enhancing the believability of their schemes.
FBI Recommendations for Protection:
To protect yourself from these evolving scams, the FBI recommends the following:
- Verify Identity: Always verify the identity of the person contacting you via call, text, or voice message. Before responding, research the originating number, organization, or individual. Independently find a phone number for the supposed sender and call to confirm their authenticity.
- Examine Details Carefully: Scrutinize email addresses, messaging contact information (including phone numbers), URLs, and spelling in all communications. Scammers often use minor alterations to deceive and build trust, such as incorporating publicly available photos, slightly modifying names, or using AI-generated voices to mimic known contacts.
- Look for Imperfections: Be vigilant for subtle flaws in images and videos, including distorted hands or feet, unrealistic facial features, indistinct or irregular faces, unnatural accessories like glasses or jewelry, inaccurate shadows, watermarks, voice call lag, voice mismatches, and unnatural movements.
- Listen Closely: Pay close attention to the tone and word choice to differentiate between legitimate calls or voice messages from known contacts and AI-generated voice cloning, as they can sound nearly identical.
- Never Share Sensitive Information: Do not share sensitive information or an associate’s contact details with individuals you have only met online or over the phone.
- Avoid Sending Funds: Never send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or other assets to people you do not know or have only met online or over the phone.
- Confirm Before Clicking: Do not click on any links in emails or text messages until you have independently verified the sender’s identity.
