What You Need to Know About Phishing and Deepfakes

Cybercriminals are using increasingly convincing tactics—pretending to be a real person or business. Phishing emails have become more sophisticated over time, and deepfake technology is a newer way that scammers are imitating a person’s voice or appearance.

Knowing the warning signs can help protect you, your coworkers, our patients, and Carilion’s systems and information.

How Phishing Works

Phishing emails are designed to look like messages from people, companies, or organizations you know. They may try to convince you to:

• Share your username and password
• Click a link that steals your Carilion credentials or installs malware
• Download an attachment containing malware

If successful, cybercriminals may gain access to your email, files, computer, or other Carilion resources. They could use a compromised account or computer to spread malware, send more phishing messages, or attempt to access other parts of our network.

How to Spot a Phishing Email

Phishing messages can look convincing, but several signs should make you pause:

• False urgency: Be cautious of messages threatening account suspension, legal action, or other immediate consequences.
• Generic greetings: A greeting such as “Dear Customer” may be a warning sign.
• Requests for sensitive information: Be cautious of unexpected requests for personal, financial, or confidential information.
• Mismatched links: Hover over a link without clicking it to preview the destination.
• Unexpected attachments: Unsolicited invoices, shipping notices, or documents may contain malware.
• Incorrect addresses: Look closely for misspelled email addresses, domains, and websites, such as “amazan.com” instead of “amazon.com.”

How to Detect a Deepfake Phone Call

Artificial intelligence can be used to imitate someone’s voice. During an unexpected or unusual call:

• Listen to the background: AI-generated audio may sound unusually clean, or background noise may stop abruptly when the caller stops speaking.
• Notice the pacing: A cloned voice may sound flat or robotic, with few natural pauses, breaths, or filler words.
• Verify the caller: Ask a question the impersonator may not know or use a prearranged codeword.
• Call back independently: Hang up and contact the person using a trusted phone number you already have.

Do not rely only on the voice sounding familiar.

How to Detect a Deepfake Video Call

Deepfake video can also imitate a person’s appearance. Watch for visual inconsistencies, including:

• Delays or unnatural movement between speech and lip movement
• Blurring, pixelation, or flickering around the hair, shoulders or background
• Unusual blinking or a stiff gaze
• Smearing, warping, or flickering when the person moves a hand or object in front of their face

You can also ask the person to move a hand in front of their face or hold an object beside it. Watch for changes in the image as they move.

Be cautious if a suspicious video call suddenly disconnects and is followed by an urgent text requesting money or sensitive information.

How to Handle Suspicious Messages and Texts

If a message claims someone is in trouble or needs immediate help, do not rely on that message alone. Contact the person—or a trusted mutual contact—through a separate method you already know.

When a request involves money, credentials, confidential information, or unusual urgency, confirm it before acting.

How to Report a Suspected Scam

If you receive a suspicious email, select Report Phish in your Outlook toolbar.

If you receive a suspicious phone call, text, message, or video request on your Carilion account, stop engaging with the sender. Report it to the Technology Service Center.

If you believe you responded to a phishing or deepfake scam, disconnect your computer immediately and contact the Technology Service Center.

Employees will not be reprimanded for reporting a suspected incident in good faith. Prompt reporting can help our teams respond before an attacker gains further access to Carilion systems or information.

Challenge what you see, and confirm before you act.

For More Information

For more information, contact the Technology Service Center at 540-224-1599 (71599) or through Employee Center.