Data Doctors: Beware of fake voicemail notifications
Q: Why am I getting so many random voicemail notification emails?
A: We’ve all been told countless times: never click on links or open attachments in an email unless you’re absolutely sure it’s safe. For most of us, that message has sunk in.
But scammers know we’ve all been warned about fake invoices, shipping delays or password resets — so they’ve pivoted to something far more subtle: voicemail notifications.
Why voicemails?
These new phishing scams look deceptively professional and play on a simple psychological trick — they appear to come from our own phone or messaging systems. Subject lines, such as “You’ve received a new voicemail,” “Voicemail for [Your Name]” or “missed call notification,” are designed to bypass skepticism.
They generate fake alerts from what appear to be legitimate services, such as RingCentral, Teams or Google Voice. The fraudsters count on you thinking, “Maybe I missed an important call.”
The dangers
If you click the “Listen” or “View Voicemail” buttons, instead of hearing a message, you’re likely sent to a fake login page that perfectly mimics Microsoft 365, Google Workspace or another business system.
The goal is simple — capture your credentials before you realize what’s happened. In other cases, clicking the link triggers an immediate malware download disguised as an audio file. Either way, the results can be detrimental — account takeovers, data theft, ransom demands or widespread business compromise.
One of the reasons this scam is spreading so fast is that it looks familiar. Many of these emails are formatted to appear as if they came from a legitimate system, right down to the fonts, timestamps and “received at” lines.
Red flags
Most will include your email address in the body to make it seem personalized. But take a closer look and the red flags start to appear: no caller ID, odd timestamps, such as 3:10 a.m., or typos and grammatical mistakes.
And while real systems include clear branding and consistent formatting, these fakes often rely on plain text with one clickable phrase in the middle — exactly what they want you to press.
Another clue is the lack of context. Genuine voicemail notifications typically include details, such as call duration, phone number or extension. Scam versions are intentionally vague or use odd phrasing — “Please take a moment to listen when convenient.”
That vagueness is psychological bait: it triggers curiosity without raising alarm.
Tips for staying safe
First, treat every unsolicited voicemail email as suspicious. If you really think it could be legit, go to your known voicemail portal or app directly instead of clicking the link.
Second, hover your mouse over any “play” or “listen” link to see where it leads — if it doesn’t clearly show your company’s domain or a trusted provider such as ringcentral.com, delete it immediately.
Third, share this warning with co-workers and family members. These scams work best when one person drops their guard, and once attackers have valid credentials, they often use that account to send more scam “voicemail” messages internally.
Our natural curiosity and habit of staying connected make us perfect targets for this new wave of phishing. As scammers get better at disguising their traps, our best defense is slowing down, thinking twice and remembering that no real voicemail requires you to log in through a random link in your inbox.
Ken Colburn is founder and CEO of Data Doctors Computer Services. Ask any tech question on Facebook.