Fraudsters are now using video meetings as a tool to trick unsuspecting victims into parting ways with their money, according to the FBI.
The FBI said the attackers compromise employee emails and “insert themselves in workplace meetings via virtual meeting platforms to collect information on a business’s day-to-day operations.”
This type of scam is classified under the business email compromise (BEC) scam. BEC sends messages to victims using fake, spoofed or compromised email domains to trick them into transferring money.
While BEC is primarily concerned with email, the FBI has identified a growing trend that includes video meetings, and the growing trend that took place between 2019 and 2021 is consistent with the transition to virtual meeting platforms.
“Criminals began using virtual meeting platforms to conduct more BEC-related scams due to the rise in remote work because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused more workplaces and individuals to conduct routine business virtually,” the FBI said.