Be Cyber Aware: Vishing Attacks Surge by 442% in 2024—Protect Your LA SMB

In the bustling world of Los Angeles business, it’s easy to think cyber threats only strike major corporations. However, a startling 442% increase in vishing (voice phishing) attacks—cited in the CrowdStrike 2025 Global Threat Report—proves that criminals are increasingly targeting small and medium businesses (SMBs). If a single phone call can compromise your entire operation, it’s time to take vishing seriously.

What Is Vishing?

Vishing (short for “voice phishing”) is a social engineering tactic where attackers call employees or owners under false pretenses—often posing as IT support, a trusted vendor, or even a bank representative. They’ll use urgent language or claim there’s a serious problem that requires immediate action. Before you know it, they’re coaxing you into revealing sensitive information, granting them access to your network, or even sending payments to fraudulent accounts.

Why Is It Growing So Fast?

According to the CrowdStrike 2025 Global Threat Report, attackers are pivoting away from purely malware-based methods to more human-centric tactics. Why? Humans are often the weakest link in any security chain. Phone scams exploit trust and a sense of urgency, making them highly effective—and increasingly common.

Why LA-Based SMBs Are Prime Targets

Los Angeles is home to a vibrant community of entrepreneurs, creative agencies, healthcare clinics, law offices, and tech startups—many of which have valuable data but limited security resources. Attackers know that:

Smaller Budgets: SMBs might not have the enterprise-level security defenses that large corporations do.

Fast-Paced Environment: Employees juggling multiple tasks may rush calls, missing potential red flags.

Remote & Hybrid Teams: With staff spread across the city (or even the globe), verifying caller identity can be more challenging.

5 Steps to Defend Against Vishing

Always Verify: If you receive a call claiming to be from your IT support or a trusted vendor, don’t immediately divulge sensitive info. Hang up and call back using a number you have on file, or contact the official helpdesk or vendor line.

Beware of Urgent Requests: Attackers often create a sense of panic, insisting something must be done “right now.” A legitimate support rep won’t push you to make snap decisions.

Educate Your Team: Continuous training is your first line of defense. Schedule regular security awareness sessions and simulate vishing scenarios so employees learn to recognize suspicious calls.

Set Clear Security Protocols: Have a policy for verifying the identity of any caller requesting sensitive data. Ensure employees know who to contact internally if they suspect a scam.

Partner with a Trusted IT Provider: Working with an experienced managed service provider (MSP) like Excel Office Services ensures that you have professional support, monitoring, and incident response ready to go if a breach does occur.

How Excel Office Services Helps

At Excel Office Services, we specialize in Managed IT and cybersecurity solutions designed for LA’s SMB community. We understand that no two businesses are the same, which is why our approach is both personal and proactive:

24/7 Monitoring: We keep a watchful eye on your systems so we can respond to threats—like suspicious remote connections—before they escalate.

Security Awareness Training: Our team provides ongoing education and resources to help your staff identify phishing, vishing, and other social engineering attacks.

Incident Response: In the event of a breach or suspected compromise, we move quickly to contain the damage and get you back up and running with minimal downtime.

Customer-Centric Service: Above all, we pride ourselves on going the extra mile for our clients. Our friendly support team is only a call or email away.

Ready to Protect Your Business?

Vishing is a real and growing threat—particularly for SMBs in fast-paced markets like Los Angeles. But with the right knowledge, training, and IT partner, you can significantly reduce your risk. Don’t wait for a close call or an actual breach to take action.

Get in touch with Excel Office Services today to schedule a free IT security assessment and learn how we can safeguard your business from phone-based scams, malware, and everything in between.

Stay vigilant, stay informed, and remember: if something feels off during a call, trust your instincts and verify. Your business security depends on it.