Michigan: Beware of Using Voice Assistants to Make Telephone Calls

Using Siri, Alexa, or your Google Assistant to search for phone numbers and make calls is convenient, but doing so may lead straight to fraud.

Scammers Are Taking Advantage of Voice Search

These days, you have to be savvy in order to stay a step ahead of scammers. Now scammers have figured how to take advantage of people who are using their voice assistants to make phone calls.

Here's How it Works:

Scammers have started creating fake customer service numbers, and they've figured out how to make them appear in search results that are used by Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistants.

Then when someone uses one of these devices to search for a number, the fake number is accessed because it's at the top of the search results.

The next person you speak with cold be a fake customer service representative who is in on the scam. You may be directed to a website that's designed to steal your financial information or charge you a fee for assistance - and that could be a fee that can only be paid with a prepaid debit card or via wire transfer.

Michigan Attorney General Warns About the Danger of Voice Search

"Smartphones and devices can provide time-saving convenience and assistance, but beware voice search apps are vulnerable to misdirection by scammers after your money," Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel tells WJBK-TV. "The Better Business Bureau has tips to help protect you from phone support scams."

Here Are Tips From the Better Business Bureau:

• Verify support phone numbers. Use the contact details on the business's website. Confirm the URL on your bill, receipt, or in your confirmation email instead of searching online or using your smartphone to find a number. 

• Watch out for phony ads made by scammers. These ads may use fictitious customer support numbers and it could be more difficult to distinguish a fake listing from an actual one when using voice search to look up a number. Consult the official corporate website or correspondence for information. 

• Go straight to the source. If you need to contact a company or business for tech support, customer service, or your account details, use their mobile app or go to their website. Reputable businesses will never request payment information from you over the phone for goods or services. Keep this in mind. 

• Use your credit card for payments. Disputing a credit card payment is simpler. Using a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer for payment is similar to using cash and it’s virtually impossible to get your money back. 

If you suspect you've been a victim of a scam, you can file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau using this form.