Telecom networks are the backbone of global communication, but fraudsters have also recognized their potential, exploiting telecom channels—calls, SMS, and data-driven apps—to execute a multitude of scams. While IRSF, Wangiri, and Subscription Fraud were once primary concerns for telecom operators, the landscape is shifting. The rise of social engineering scams using telecom as a "trust-building medium" has made fraud prevention a top priority for the industry.
According to a GSMA’s article in 2024 on Voice Phishing or Vishing, which is a form of voice-based social engineering fraud, there is an annual increase of over 30% in vishing incidents, with victims losing up to $1.2 billion in 2023. Crowdstrike’s 2025 Global Threat Report suggests an explosive 442% growth in vishing attacks just between the first and second half of 2024!
New-Age Vishing Fraud Variants
Typical telecom frauds like IRSF, Wangiri, and Subscription Fraud primarily focus on financial exploitation within telecom networks. However, new-age frauds transcend telecom boundaries, impacting banks, enterprises, OTT platforms, and even national security. It is interesting to read about some of the new-age vishing fraud variants and the impact they are having at a global scale, evolving with the capabilities & services available across various domains that people interface with on a day-to-day basis.
Here are some of the most dangerous ones:
1. Digital Arrest Scam
Scammers pose as law enforcement officials—Interpol, FBI, cybercrime authorities, or local police—and contact victims via phone calls or calls on OTT apps. They claim that the victim is under investigation for crimes like money laundering, drugs, customs duty, tax evasion, or illegal online activities. To avoid immediate arrest, the victim is asked to pay a “fine” or “bail money”.
Some scammers even use fake official documents, spoofed numbers, or deepfake videos to convince and manipulate their targets.
2. Call Merging Scam
In this elaborate social engineering scheme, scammers trick victims into believing they are speaking with multiple legitimate entities at the same time. For instance, a fraudster calls, claiming to be from the victim's bank, government agency, or an e-commerce platform. To build credibility, they "merge" the call with another scammer impersonating a senior official—a high-ranking bank officer, police inspector, or financial regulator. The second fraudster reinforces the deception, convincing the victim to share sensitive data, approve transactions, or reset account credentials.
Customers are also manipulated to “merge” other incoming calls while on a call with the fraudster, which would contain OTPs via voice call for fraudulent transactions initiated by the fraudsters on the customer’s accounts.
3. Impersonation Scams on OTT Platforms
Scammers exploit OTT messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal to impersonate trusted individuals or organizations/services. They often use stolen profile pictures and publicly available information to make their impersonation credible. In some sophisticated cases, they utilize AI-generated voices to mimic the person they're impersonating, adding another layer of deception.
The fraudsters then contact the victim, creating a sense of urgency or leveraging personal relationships to manipulate them into sharing sensitive information, transferring funds, or divulging confidential data.
The Way Forward: Combating Vishing with Vigilance and Collaboration
Vishing fraud can no longer be underestimated — it’s a fast-evolving, mutating, global menace targeting individuals, enterprises, and institutions alike. As scammers leverage voice, AI, and psychological manipulation, the lines between the telecom, banking, and digital identity fraud continue to blur.
As discussed in a previous blog titled ‘Are Telcos Responsible for Protecting Citizens from Fraud?’, a unified collaborative approach is essential, along with below possible measures:
Because when trust in communication breaks down, so does the entire architecture of our digital civilization.