As the cybersecurity landscape evolves, the threat of voice phishing—or “vishing”—is growing rapidly. Attackers have moved beyond traditional email-based social engineering, increasingly targeting employees through voice calls, SMS messages, and video communications. With advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), cybercriminals can now clone the voices of trusted individuals, making their scams more convincing than ever. To combat this escalating threat, organizations need not just effective controls but also comprehensive and ongoing training. Implementing a voice phishing simulator is one of the most powerful ways to prepare your workforce against these sophisticated attacks.

In this guide, we’ll explore the mechanics of vishing, the role of simulators, and how they empower organizations to build robust defenses against these evolving threats.

What is Voice Phishing (Vishing)?

Vishing—a blend of “voice” and “phishing”—is a sophisticated social engineering attack where malicious actors use voice communication channels to manipulate individuals into divulging sensitive information or performing harmful actions. Unlike traditional phishing attacks that primarily rely on email, vishing exploits the trust and immediacy often associated with phone conversations.

Common Vishing Scenarios

1. Executive Impersonation: Scammers pretend to be high-ranking executives, pressuring employees to transfer funds urgently or share confidential company information.

2. Vendor Fraud: Fake calls claiming to be from trusted vendors ask for login credentials or sensitive business information.

3. Technical Support Scams: Attackers pose as IT support, convincing employees to install malicious software or share system access.

The Evolution of Vishing

As cybercriminals adopt cutting-edge technologies, vishing attacks have grown in sophistication. Using tools like artificial intelligence (AI) and voice cloning, attackers can now mimic voices with stunning accuracy, making their impersonations more convincing. AI also enables scammers to mask accents and refine their grammar, allowing them to target a broader range of victims with tailored, believable scenarios.

Real-World Examples of Vishing and Deepfake Attacks

These examples of high-profile vishing and deepfake scams highlight the devastating potential of these tactics and underscore the critical need for comprehensive training and simulations:

MGM Resorts Cyberattack (2023)

In September 2023, MGM Resorts became the target of a sophisticated vishing attack by the ALPHV ransomware group (BlackCat). By impersonating an MGM employee in a 10-minute social engineering call to the IT helpdesk, attackers gained access to sensitive systems. The breach disrupted MGM’s operations, affecting hotel reservations, ATMs, and slot machines, with financial losses estimated at $80 million.

Caesars Entertainment Attack (2023)

Shortly before MGM’s breach, Caesars Entertainment fell victim to a similar vishing attack. Hackers tricked the IT helpdesk into resetting a password granting access to Caesars’ systems. To avoid prolonged operational disruptions, Caesars opted to pay a $30 million ransom, highlighting how quickly social engineering can result in significant financial and reputational damage.

Arup Deepfake Scam (2024)

In another alarming example, British engineering firm Arup faced a deepfake attack where criminals used AI to impersonate senior executives during a video call. The scam convinced an employee to transfer HK$200 million (£20 million) across 15 bank accounts. This case illustrates the growing danger of deepfake technology as a tool for high-value fraud.

Ferrari Deepfake Scam (2024)

Ferrari thwarted an attack involving a fraudster impersonating CEO Benedetto Vigna via WhatsApp. Using AI to clone Vigna’s voice, the scammer attempted to engage an executive in a fake acquisition deal. The executive’s quick thinking and personal verification—asking about a book Vigna had recently recommended—revealed the scam.

What is a Voice Phishing Simulator?

A voice phishing simulator is a cybersecurity training tool designed to test and educate employees on recognizing and responding appropriately to vishing attacks. By replicating real-world vishing scenarios with advanced AI-generated voices, these simulators expose vulnerabilities, highlight high-risk individuals, and build organizational resilience through ongoing training and feedback.

Mirage takes vishing simulations to the next level by leveraging artificial intelligence to create hyper-realistic scenarios tailored to evolving threats. With Mirage, organizations can prepare their teams for sophisticated tactics, such as AI-driven voice cloning and deepfake scams.

Key Features of Mirage’s Voice Phishing Simulator

1. Realistic Scenarios
   Mirage creates authentic vishing simulations based on real-world tactics, such as deepfake voice cloning and social engineering schemes. These scenarios replicate attackers' nuanced strategies, preparing employees for real threats.

2. AI-Driven Voices
   Powered by advanced text-to-speech (TTS) and voice synthesis technology, Mirage produces natural-sounding voices that mimic accents, tones, and even specific individuals' speech patterns.

3. Detailed Reporting and Insights
   Mirage provides granular reporting that tracks key metrics like employee actions, response times, and critical events (e.g., sharing credentials or answering suspicious calls). Insights include individual performance, departmental trends, and executive-level summaries to guide decision-making.

4. Customizable and Adaptive Campaigns
   Mirage tailors campaigns to reflect your organization’s unique risks, whether it’s executive impersonation targeting finance teams or IT help desk scams. Scenarios adapt in real-time based on employee behavior, creating a dynamic and realistic training experience.

How AI Powers Modern Vishing Simulators

While many simulators rely on pre-recorded voices or static scenarios, AI-powered tools like Mirage bring a dynamic edge to vishing simulations. Here’s how AI is transforming the field:

1. Realistic Voices
   AI-generated voices don’t just sound natural—they can mimic accents, intonation, and even individual speech patterns. This makes simulations feel authentic and ensures employees experience scenarios that match real-world threats.

2. Scenario Flexibility
   AI allows simulations to adjust on the fly. If an employee hesitates or responds cautiously, the simulator can escalate the interaction, mimicking how a determined attacker would push further.

3. Efficiency at Scale
   AI makes it possible to deploy hundreds of unique scenarios across large teams without losing quality or personalization. Whether it’s a simulated executive impersonation or an IT support scam, AI ensures every call feels tailored and relevant.

4. Threat Reporting
   Mirage has built the industry’s first slack/teams bot to handle threat reports from employees. Our training teaches employees how to report these issues so that we can submit takedowns and create awareness around actual attacks.

Why Your Organization Needs a Vishing Simulator

Investing in a voice phishing simulator like Mirage offers several significant benefits:

1. Increased Awareness and Vigilance

   Regular simulations train employees to recognize the signs of vishing, such as unusual requests, fake urgency, or mismatched caller IDs. Employees familiar with these tactics are less likely to fall victim to actual attacks.

2. Faster Response Times

   Simulations teach employees to recognize vishing attempts and respond appropriately, such as reporting the incident to the IT or security team. Faster reporting minimizes potential damage from actual attacks.

3. Compliance with Regulations

   Many industries are subject to regulations requiring robust cybersecurity training. For example, the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) Section 500 mandates cybersecurity awareness programs, including social engineering training.

4. Cost Savings

   Organizations can save millions in potential losses by preventing just one successful vishing attack, including breach costs, fines, and reputational damage. Using an AI Vishing simulator is also considerably cheaper than hiring a red team to perform a manual voice phishing assessment.

5. Tailored Training

   Customizable scenarios allow organizations to address specific risks. For example, finance teams can receive training focused on wire fraud while IT teams learn to identify fake vendor requests.
   
   

How to Implement a Vishing Simulator

Step 1: Assess Your Current Vulnerabilities

Before launching a vishing simulation, evaluate your organization’s exposure to vishing attacks. Identify high-risk departments and employees who frequently interact with sensitive data or external parties.

Step 2: Customize Scenarios

Choose scenarios that reflect real-world threats your organization might face. Examples include:

• Fake executive calls targeting finance teams.

• Vendor scams targeting procurement staff.

Step 3: Deploy Simulations

Launch simulated vishing calls across the organization. Use AI-powered tools to ensure the scenarios are realistic and engaging.

Step 4: Analyze Responses

Track how employees respond during the simulations. Did they share sensitive information? Did they report the incident? Use this data to measure awareness levels.

Step 5: Provide Immediate Feedback

After each simulation, provide employees with detailed feedback. Highlight what they did well and where they can improve.

Step 6: Repeat and Improve

Cyber threats evolve constantly, so running regular simulations and updating scenarios to reflect emerging tactics is essential.

Best Practices for Vishing Simulation Training

To maximize the effectiveness of your training program, follow these best practices:

• Run Regular Simulations: Conduct quarterly or biannual simulations to keep skills sharp.

• Incorporate Feedback Loops: Use insights from past simulations to improve future training.

• Integrate with Broader Training Programs: Combine vishing simulations with phishing, smishing, and ransomware training for a comprehensive approach.

• Focus on High-Risk Employees: Provide extra training for employees who have access to sensitive data or finances.

• Communicate the Importance: Ensure employees understand that the goal of simulations is to protect them and the organization, not to "catch" or shame them.

Conclusion

Voice phishing attacks are a growing threat, but they don’t have to succeed. By implementing an AI-powered voice phishing simulator, organizations can prepare employees to identify and thwart even the most convincing vishing attempts. These tools not only reduce the risk of successful attacks but also build a culture of vigilance and resilience.

Don’t wait until your organization becomes a victim—invest in a voice phishing simulator today and empower your team to defend against evolving threats.

Ready to get started? Contact us to learn more about our AI-powered vishing simulation solutions.