National Instruments data breach? Strange call - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: thedasdet
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 06:29:10 pm
content: Not sure if this is just something National Instruments does or someone has got my info through them, but I have received a few strange calls over the past month form people claiming to be from National Instruments. The calls seem to come from some kind of call center, there is a lot of noise in the background, and they always say that they have sent me an email with an update link and that I haven't clicked on yet and I should do so (like that would happen!).I didn't think much of it the first time they called and just ignored it, but the last time it clicked that this might be a fishing expedition and they must have got my info through NI, either that or NI has some weird way of going about updates.The icing on the cake for me is that I don't have an email from them, or anyone, with any link anyway, so who knows.Has anyone else had calls like this from NI (or parties claiming to be) or have they released any info about data breaches?

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 06:53:50 pm
content: I worked for National Instruments for a few years. They will never, never, ever, do something like this.IT'S A SCAM! DON'T CLICK ON THAT LINK. ALSO, PLASE CONTACT NATIONAL INSTRUMENT AND FORWARD THEM THE EMAIL YOU WERE RECEIVED.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 07:18:04 pm
content: Probably nothing to do with National Instruments at all. Scammers are using increasingly crafty techniques in order defraud you and/or infect your machine with some kind of malware (which would then allow them to steal more of your details).Chances are they've matched your e-mail address and telephone number and somehow discovered (or guessed) you're a customer of National Instruments.This is exactly the reason why I tell people think twice about what you write online, especially on social media. Even seemingly innocent details adds another piece of the puzzle about you. As I have mentioned in another thread, it's not uncommon to discover someone's actual home address and contact details based on what they voluntarily give away and a few Google searches. Despite what many might think, "privacy settings" on Facebook etc... don't keep all your information and posts private.If they already have your name and contact details, they are probably phishing for more information in order to steal your identity, obtain fraudulent bank loans under your name, discover your credit card details... who knows what else.

author: thedasdet
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 08:00:29 pm
content: Quote from: Halcyon on November 23, 2016, 07:18:04 pmYeh figured it was a scam. Only reason I thought it was a leek through NI was the fact I very rarely give my mobile number out (I don't even have it on my facebook!). NI have it cause I needed support for labview during my honors year project.

author: thedasdet
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 23, 2016, 08:21:02 pm
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on November 23, 2016, 06:53:50 pmThanks for the input. The thing I can't get my head around is the fact that they haven't actually sent me any emails so they're not very good at their scam, either that or they're trying to get my email (which would be strange cause I figure my email would be easier to get than my phone)

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2016, 04:36:29 pm
content: They probably got that info, but need the email address for the spear phishing operation. Call centre droids are often low paid, and they often run these sorts of scams from the centre in low activity times, as the call volume masks the activity, and they can do this with little chance of the recording being pulled as you actually do not really know who called you from the call centre, and which one it was.however I was the recipient of one MS scam, and knew from the English, the accent and speech pattern it was not the Mumbai lot (they are distinctive from the others), but that this one was a local call centre. Swore at him for a good number of seconds before he cut the call.

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 28, 2016, 11:10:27 am
content: i got asked full name and address while i asked support for an older product. what the hell?