Beware scam phone calls from your “Internet Provider”

Scammers are calling victim’s and tricking them into giving away sensitive information and installing malware on their devices by claiming to represent the victim’s Internet Service Provider (ISP.)

These are phishing scams and have become steadily prolific during 2020 and 2021. The scam starts with an unexpected telephone call. The person on the other end claims to work for the recipient’s Internet Service Provider and claims there is an issue that needs to be sorted. What exactly that issue is will depend on the particular scam, but the call may be any of the following things –

• An automated phone call saying Internet will be disconnected.
• An automated phone call saying Internet will be disconnected due to illegal activity.
• There is an issue with the recipient’s Internet connection/service and the caller needs to access the recipient’s device to rectify the problem.
• The recipient’s Internet service has been compromised by cyber criminals or malware and the caller needs to access the victim’s device to secure the recipient’s devices and account.
• There is an issue with the recipient’s billing information that will result in their Internet connection being suspended and the recipient needs to confirm or verify their information.
• The recipient’s Internet speed is being upgraded but the caller needs the recipient to confirm their details.

The scammers may claim to represent popular ISPs including BT, Sky or Virgin (UK), AT&T or Verizon (US) or Telstra (AUS) or may simply use the term “your Internet Service Provider”. Often the messages may be automated messages asking you to press 1 on your keypad, but in other cases there is a person on the other end of the line.

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With these scams, the crooks generally want to do one of two things (or both).
– Lure the recipient of the call into providing the crook with personal information (address, phone number, date of birth etc.) and/or financial information (bank name, bank account, card number, PIN etc.)
– Lure the recipient into allowing the crook access to the recipient’s device so the crook can install malware.

In the first case the information coaxed from a victim can be used to commit identity fraud or to access the victim’s bank accounts. The information can also be used to launch more targeted scams against the victim.

In the second case, victims are often instructed to install remote desktop software in order to “fix an issue”. This allows crooks access to the victim’s device where they will install malware. This can be malware that steals financial information, malware that spies on the victim’s online activities or even ransomware.

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Avoiding “Internet Provider” phone call scams

If you receive an unexpected call from your Internet Provider, the best course of action is to disconnect the call, especially if they claim any of the things we outline above.

If you’re not sure if the call was genuine you can always contact your ISP directly using your paperwork or their official website so you can be sure that you are definitely talking to your ISP and not crooks pretending to be from your ISP.

Just because the caller knows some information about you, such as your name, this does not necessarily mean the caller is genuine. The crooks may have obtained this information some other way.

Remember, never allow anyone who calls you out-of-the-blue access to your device, and never provide them with any personal information about yourself including your banking details.