Vishing — Fake Bank & Police Phone Calls

What Is This Threat?

Vishing (voice phishing) uses phone calls instead of emails. Attackers impersonate bank fraud departments, police, Europol, or government agencies. The call feels urgent and authoritative — designed to bypass your critical thinking before you hang up.

How It Works

You receive a call. Caller ID may show your real bank's number (spooled/faked).

The caller says: "This is the fraud team at [Your Bank]. We've detected suspicious transactions on your account. To protect your funds, we need to verify your identity immediately."

They ask for your PIN, full card number, one-time password, or online banking password.

A second variant: callers pose as police saying your account is under investigation for money laundering and you must transfer funds to a "safe government account" immediately.

In 2025–2026, AI voice cloning is being used to make the caller sound like a real bank employee using your bank's hold music and scripts.

Real Examples

"Europol" callers telling Austrian residents their bank accounts are frozen due to a criminal investigation — victims must withdraw cash and hand it to a courier.

Fake Deutsche Bank fraud alerts asking customers to approve a "reversal transfer" by reading out their TAN code.

AI-cloned voices of real financial advisors calling their clients.

Red Flags

Caller ID showing your bank's number does NOT guarantee the caller is your bank — numbers are easily spoofed.

Your real bank will never ask for your full PIN, card number, or one-time password over the phone.

Real police never instruct you to move money to protect it from criminals.

High pressure, threats of arrest, or urgency to act within minutes.