When we need to find a company's customer care or service number, we first turn to a search engine. However, some phone numbers on the internet can be difficult to dial. Scammers are now adopting a new method of defrauding people through search engines. They try to trap you by posting fake phone numbers on genuine websites. You call these numbers, and the scammers then steal personal information or empty your bank account. Therefore, it's crucial to identify such phone numbers and avoid calling them, even by mistake. Otherwise, your bank balance could drop to zero.

Search Parameter Injection Attack

According to a Forbes report, a "search parameter injection attack" scam is currently prevalent. Simply put, scammers create a special link containing their fake phone number. This link leads to a genuine website. However, as soon as you access that website, a search box appears, which already contains the fake number.

They call you pretending to be an employee.
If you call that number, the person on the other end will introduce themselves as an employee of the company and ask for personal information, such as bank details or passwords. This could lead to fraud.

Don't call such phone numbers.
- Don't call numbers that appear to be from sites with a phone number or strange words like "Call Now" or "Emergency Support" in the URL.
- Don't call numbers from websites with %, spaces, or (+ codes in their URLs.
- If a website displays search results without typing anything and offers call numbers, don't call.
- If you receive messages or pop-ups like "Account suspended" or "Call immediately," don't call such numbers.
- If your browser reports a website as a scam, don't call the phone number provided by that website.

Fake numbers are also being placed on genuine websites.
A company called Netcraft has also warned about such scams. They say that scammers are now exploiting search engine tools. They use techniques that make their fake links appear higher on search engines like Google. Scammers used to create fake websites, but now they are placing fake numbers on genuine websites. This further increases the risk of users being deceived, as the website appears completely genuine. If you need to call a customer service number, it may need to be changed several times. Will have to check the sources.

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