How Does FakeCall Work?
FakeCall works via abuse of Android’s Accessibility Services and a technique known as “vishing,” a portmanteau of “voice” and “fishing.”
According to Zimperium, a global Android, iOS, and Chromebook security firm, vishing uses social engineering and fraudulent calls to trick users into revealing confidential information or taking other dangerous actions.
If you’ve ever been contacted claiming that you’ve inherited money, or that a loved one has been incarcerated, then it’s likely that scammers targeted you for vishing. Because the callers sound urgent and authoritative, many people fall victim. It’s a growing problem, and
according to the FTC, in 2022, victims of phone scams lost roughly $1,400 each to scammers.
FakeCall is more sophisticated than other scams, however, as it combines a malware component with cleverly disguised fraudulent calls. Which makes it slightly more dangerous for those unaware of its existence. It also mimics the Android phone dialer, so everything seems normal.
But, when you make an outgoing call to your bank, instead of a bank employee, you’re connected to a hacker who asks for sensitive information. And since you’re speaking with a human, you may not even suspect the impersonator is stealing your precious info.
