Google says hackers are calling financial firm employees to hack and extort victims

August 6, 2026 - 22:25

Google's security team is warning about a new and unsettling trend in cybercrime. Hackers are no longer just sending phishing emails or exploiting software flaws. They are now picking up the phone and calling employees at major U.S. financial firms, pretending to be IT support or vendors, to trick them into giving up access.

According to Google's threat analysis group, these are not random scam calls. The attackers do their homework first. They know the company's internal tools, the names of real staff members, and even the specific software the firm uses. Once they get a worker on the line, they walk that person through steps that look harmless but actually install remote access tools or steal login credentials.

The goal is not just to steal money. The researchers say the hackers are after sensitive client data, internal records, and anything that can be used as leverage. After breaking in, they contact the company and demand a ransom, threatening to leak the stolen files or sell them to other criminals if the payment is not made.

Google notes that this approach is harder to defend against than typical email attacks. Employees are trained to spot suspicious links, but a friendly, confident voice on the phone can bypass that caution. The company is urging financial institutions to verify any unexpected call through a separate channel, like calling back a known number, and to limit what information employees can share over the phone.

The report does not name the specific firms targeted, but it says the attacks have been ongoing for months and are becoming more sophisticated. For now, the best defense is skepticism. If someone calls and asks for access or a password, hang up and call the official help desk directly.