Phishing scams are on the rise in the town of Royalton, NY, according to a new study from the Better Business Bureau. The study revealed that phishing scams hit a record high last year, with 9,288 reported cases, nearly double the amount from the previous year. This alarming trend indicates that the number of scams is only expected to rise.
One local company, Performance Manufacturing Corporation, fell victim to a phishing scam in which they received phony invoices for parts they never ordered. These invoices claimed that the parts were ordered over the phone, however, there was no record of any such conversation. The company lost $1,400 before realizing they had been scammed and has since enacted new invoice policies to prevent future incidents.
The rise in phishing scams can be attributed to advancements in artificial intelligence, making it easier for scammers to impersonate individuals over the phone and craft convincing emails and text messages. Since 2021, there have been over 23,000 reported phishing scams in various forms, including phishing (email scams), vishing (phone call scams), smishing (text scams), and malware scams disguised as tech support.
To protect yourself from falling victim to phishing scams, the BBB advises against clicking on any unfamiliar links or pop-ups and to ignore calls, texts
