Google is clearly frustrated by countless headline warnings of “2.5 billion Gmail accounts exposed as massive hack uncovered.” This is not the case and Google Cloud and Gmail data was not affected in the recent breach, Google tells me.
But Gmail is under attack nonetheless. The company has also confirmed that such threats are surging as hackers successfully gain access to user accounts. And that brings us to another Google frustration — and one that’s much more persistent that this month’s furor after its Salesforce breach.
“Please reiterate to your readers that Google will not call you to reset your password or troubleshoot account issues,” the company asked me. And yet calls from its customer support number continue to trick users into opening their accounts to hackers.
“A person claiming to be a Google employee will contact you by phone (typically using a phone number with a 650 area code),” Proton warns, “and inform you that suspicious access attempts were detected on your Gmail account.”
If you take the bait, “the person attempts to get you to reset your password under the guise of keeping your account secure.” But be warned, “once this is done, the scammer can lock you out of your Gmail account,” which leads to a world of pain.
The number you need to watch for is +1 (650) 253-0000, which a quick Google search tells you is linked to “the global headquarters of Google.” It has been spoofed.
A typical Reddit post reports that a “guy with a very Californian accent” called from this number to warn of unauthorized account access and to talk the user through steps “to secure my account and prevent further recovery attempts from outside of the U.S.”
These Gmail attacks “begin with unauthorized account recovery attempts originating from international locations,” per Cyber Press. “These initial attempts serve as reconnaissance, testing account security measures and potentially creating a sense of urgency for the target. Days later, victims receive phone calls from what appears to be Google’s legitimate customer service number: +1 (650) 253-0000.”
If you do receive a call from that number, it’s an attack. Log into your Google account using the usual, publicly available method — never a link. Go to Security—Review Security Activity and see what’s listed. If there are no unfamiliar logins, you can relax.
While there, you can run a Security Checkup and follow any recommended steps. You should certainly replace SMS 2FA with an authenticator app and add a passkey. It’s also worth changing your password to something strong and unique.
