When the phone lies

Vishing is a phone scam. The caller claims to be your bank, police, social service, support desk, courier, or fraud office. They sound calm or authoritative and say there is an urgent problem. A voice does not prove identity. The FBI includes vishing in spoofing and phishing scams and advises verifying through numbers you find yourself. Do not solve a financial crisis inside an incoming call.

The number on the screen is not proof. Caller ID spoofing can show a number similar to a bank or public office. The trick is: credible number, confident voice, immediate action. If the call says it is your bank, hang up and call the number on the back of your card. Do not use a number dictated by the caller and do not simply redial from recent calls.

A fake operator may say your account is under attack and you must move money to a temporary or protected account. That account belongs to the criminal. Another version asks for OTP or app confirmations to "block" a payment, but the code authorizes it. The Italian Postal Police reminds people that banks do not ask for credentials or codes by phone or message.

A scammer may know your name, address, bank, card digits, old email, or an amount. These can come from breaches, social media, marketplaces, or discarded papers. The key is what they ask you to do. If they ask for OTP, PIN, password, remote access app, or a safety transfer, stop. The FBI warns about fake financial support callers seeking MFA and OTP codes.