Spoofing – the impersonation scam

“Many are aware of spoof e-mails. People know that they should hover over the sender to view the underlying address. But it’s less well-known that text messages and phone calls can also be a spoof”, says Amalia Krantz, fraud expert at Nordea.

Scammers exploit new technology

Scammers exploit new technology that is meant to make life easier for users. Our smart phones don’t sort by numbers but by senders, and a spoof message can be slotted in between genuine messages in a conversation.

The receiver is often urged to call a number or click a link. The link can lead to a website which imitates the genuine website of the company. On the false website, the victim is requested to use a security solution or share information.

Spoofing protection – offers some help but is not watertight

Some numbers and senders are protected by the owner to make them spoof-proof. This reduces the risk of scammers communicating in their name, but sometimes the scammers find loopholes. Scammers can also use a number which is almost identical to the number they want to spoof.

“Scammers can add an area code or change a digit in the calling number. When they send text messages they can add a full stop after the sender’s name or words such as “customer service” or “warning”. In both cases the scam relies on the receiver reading the message quickly without noticing the small change”, says Amalia Krantz.

Sound suspicion – double-check and call back

Even if a message comes from a well-known source, it’s important to be critical and ask yourself if that company usually communicates in this way.

“If you get suspicious, you should make your own checks for instance by calling the sender using a number from the sender’s website. If you get a phone call, ask to call back and check if the call is genuine”, Amalia Krantz concludes.