Definition: vishing

(Voice phISHING) Also called "VoIP phishing," it is the voice counterpart to phishing. Instead of being directed by email to a website, an email message asks the user to make a telephone call. The call triggers a voice response system that asks for the user's credit card number. The initial bait can also be a telephone call with a recording that instructs the user to phone an 800 number.

In either case, because people are used to entering credit card numbers over the phone, this technique can be effective. Voice over IP (VoIP) is used for vishing because caller IDs can be spoofed, and the entire operation can be brought up and taken down in a short time, compared to a real telephone line. See phishing and VoIP.