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New voicemail phishing emails can trick you, BBB warns

Scammers want your personal information
Posted at 4:07 PM, May 13, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-13 16:07:56-04

INDIANAPOLIS — The Better Business Bureau issued a warning Monday about new phishing emails that look realistic.

Here’s how it works.

You receive an email with that looks like an alert for a new voicemail message, such as from Office 365 or another workplace software.

The email looks legitimate, and even contains text claiming the message comes from a “trusted source.”

In some versions of the scam, a portion of the voicemail is transcribed in the email.

For example, it may say something like, “Please contact me ASAP about…”

But when you click on the link, the scammers try to trick you into giving up personal information or downloading malware onto your computer.

How to Protect Yourself from Phishing Scams

  • Be cautious of unsolicited emails. If you've never opted into receiving email alerts from a company or software product, be wary of them.
  • Never click on links in emails from strangers. If you don't know who the email came from, don't click on the links in their message. Even links that seem harmless can download malware onto your computer.
  • Log into professional accounts directly instead of via email. If you aren't sure if a message you receive is real, log in directly to your account to check instead of clicking on links in an email.

If you've been the victim of a phishing scam, report it at the BBB.org/ScamTracker [send.council.bbb.org].