What Happened?
The FBI has issued a public service announcement about a surge in “Phantom Hacker” scams targeting elderly individuals. Scammers call victims pretending to be tech support or bank officials, convince them their accounts are compromised, and trick them into installing remote access software (like AnyDesk or TeamViewer). Once connected, the scammers drain bank accounts.
Business Impact
While targeting individuals, these scams highlight the effectiveness of social engineering combined with remote access tools. Employees, especially less tech-savvy ones or those working remotely, could potentially fall for similar corporate-themed pretexts, giving attackers direct access to their work devices and corporate networks.
Why It Happened
Scammers exploit fear and trust, using urgent pretexts (hacking, fraud alerts) to pressure victims into granting remote access. Elderly individuals are often targeted due to perceived lower technical familiarity.
Recommended Executive Action
Ensure corporate security policies strictly prohibit the installation of unauthorized remote access software on company devices. Reinforce security awareness training for all employees, emphasizing verification of any unsolicited call requesting access or personal information, regardless of the caller’s claimed identity.
Hashtags: #FBI #ScamAlert #SocialEngineering #RemoteAccess #Cybercrime #InfoSec #CyberSecurity