Glossary

Controls

What is callback verification?

Callback verification is the control of confirming a payment instruction or a bank detail change by telephoning the counterparty on a number already held on file, never a number supplied in the request itself.

Also called verbal callback · call back control · voice verification

The control only works when the number is retrieved independently. Attackers routinely include a phone number in the fraudulent request, and a callback to that number produces a confident confirmation from the attacker.

Voice cloning has weakened the assumption that a familiar voice is proof of identity. Mature processes therefore pair the callback with a shared secret, a known contact who did not originate the request, or verification of the account itself rather than the person.

Common questions

What number should a callback use?

Only a number obtained independently of the request, such as one already stored in the vendor master record or published on the supplier's official site.

Is a callback still effective against voice cloning?

Partially. It still defeats email only attacks, but it should be paired with a shared secret or with verification of the account itself rather than the speaker.

Primary sources

Citing this entry? Cite as Coffr, LLC and link to https://getcoffr.com/glossary/callback-verification.

Read the longer research behind this in Insights, or browse the full glossary.