Gmail users have recently started encountering a new and highly convincing type of fraud, which is unusual. The experiences of Microsoft Solutions Consultant Sam Mitrovic contain serious warnings about how convincing this type of fraud can be. Mitrovic reported receiving notifications of attempts to access a Gmail account that wasn’t his, followed by calls from individuals claiming to represent Google’s Sydney office, as detailed in his blog post.
Scammers are trying to convince potential victims with fake emails and phone calls. In the incidents that happened to Mitrovic, the callers spoke with an American accent and tried to manipulate him by claiming there were suspicious activities in his account. Despite the phone number and email address appearing legitimate, it should not be overlooked that this information can be manipulated by scammers.
When Mitrovic checked the phone number during the call on the internet, he realized it appeared to belong to Google. However, scammers can more easily deceive victims by mimicking legitimate numbers. In such cases, it is important to request an official email from the caller for verification. Although the content of the email Mitrovic received looked correct, the sender’s address was suspicious, and this bolstered the suspicion of fraud.
Securing Incoming Email Contents with Multiple Verifications is Necessary
This incident reminds internet users that they always need to be skeptical and report any suspicious activities immediately to the authorities. Double-checking the authenticity of email addresses and phone numbers is critical in protecting against such fraud attempts.