The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released an advisory regarding a newly discovered Google Voice authentication scam that targets individuals who share their numbers on public platforms.
Based on the investigation, scammers target individuals who have posted their phone numbers as contact details for their online shop, social media apps, e-commerce, or online marketplaces. The US federal law enforcement agency has received massive reports from people even at sites where the users have published posts about their lost pets and their contact information.
Based on the FBI’s statement, threat actors are setting up a Google Voice account in the names of targets to hack their Gmail accounts. These stolen accounts can be utilised by other threat actors or themselves in future phishing campaigns or other fraudulent activities.
The advisory also explained that the scammers reach out to their potential targets by utilising emails or SMS messages showing their interest in whatever the target is offering or inquiry. Then, the scammers will ask the target to verify their offer is legit and posted by an actual human by sending an authentication code received by Google.
However, they set up a Google Voice account activation in the phone call background.
Once the operation is successful, the Google Voice account can be utilised by its operator to carry out malicious schemes against other targets.
The scammers can also even use the acquired code from the target to gain access and hijack the users’ Gmail account.
The ongoing fraudulent activity is straightforward and effectively deceiving individuals into giving up their authentication code to hack deeper into their accounts. Users of online shops, social media sites, and public internet platforms should stay vigilant while receiving unwanted messages and emails.
The FBI urges the victims of the scam to report similar incidents or seek the help of cybersecurity experts to mitigate the effects of the fraud acts.
