Businesses and individuals should be aware of the act of Pretexting.
This is the creation of a scenario being presented to engage a targeted individual with an ultimate goal of extracting information that could be used maliciously.
The perpetrator attempts to obtain secure information from their victim and can be used to convince a business to provide information such as customer names, card numbers, customer records and other information directly from company service representatives.
Once they have been provided the prompted information, the information can then be used to establish even greater legitimacy and can cause greater damage through the information provided.
Be on the Lookout
Pretexting can also be used to impersonate trusted individuals such as police and co-workers. The pretexter must simply prepare answers to questions that might be asked by the victim. In some cases all that is needed is a voice that sounds authoritative, an earnest tone, and an ability to think on one’s feet.
What You Should Do
- Alert employees to remain cautious when divulging information; there are individuals who take great risks in an effort to obtain secure information from a willing party.
