Mobile scams aim to trick victims into infecting their devices with malware or obtaining their private information, according to cybersecurity solutions and services company Kaspersky.
Fraudsters try to influence the victim’s feelings through phone calls, either through insistence or threats, or by arousing emotions, or by promising exceptional prizes, forcing them to pay money, disclose sensitive information related to bank accounts, visit a website, or download an application. , or file, according to Kaspersky.
Some types of scam calls
Curiosity game
Scammers use robo-dialers to call random phone numbers. After the first ring, scammers hang up, hoping that potential victims will see the calling number in their missed call log and be curious enough to call back.
Fraudsters exploit this curiosity to add unauthorized charges to their victims’ phone bills. Once the victim calls the number shown, he will be connected to an expensive international hotline, which usually provides an “adult entertainment” service, and costs up to $19.95 once called. There may also be Large per-minute charges that appear on your phone bill as “premium services.”
Sometimes the call is answered with a recorded message asking victims to wait for an employee to respond, which prompts victims to stay on the call longer.
Spanish prisoner
This scam uses emotional manipulation and family connections to trick the victim into sending money to the person on the other end of the call.
These operations often begin by speaking on behalf of a family member or relative who is in trouble, such as being detained at a police station with the right to bail. Once the victim swallows the bait, the scammer pressures the victim to provide their bank details so they can pay the bail.
These operations were named after a story told by criminologist Eugene François (1775 – 1857) in his memoirs, and director and writer David Mamet inspired the story of the film The Spanish Prisoner, which was released in 1998 in the United States.
Nigerian prince
This method is called this because it is a call from a person pretending to be a member of the royal family from another country, looking for someone who can help him move his alleged wealth into the country using a local bank account.
In exchange for help, the alleged prince promises the victim a large sum of money once his money is successfully transferred, but the truth is that the victim gives his account details to the criminal, allowing him to steal money that will never be returned.
Lottery calls
In this trick, scammers contact the victim to inform them that they have won a large sum of money or a prize in a lottery that does not exist, wanting to excite the victims with the exorbitant sums they are offering.
Once victims believe the lie, they demand a guarantee fee in order to pass on the promised amount.
The danger is increasing
The largest phone scam occurred last year in the United Kingdom, where 70,000 people received phone calls for the purpose of fraud, after the fraudsters were able to hide their actual phone number, which made it seem like a bank call, through which they asked for the victims’ passwords, and then they were able to From withdrawing their balances.
Recently, scammers posing as fake police officers targeting elderly German citizens in a phone scam were tracked down, and a member of the Meri clan, one of Germany’s notorious criminal families with roots in Lebanon, was identified and arrested as the call center operator.
As for the Middle East, in 2019, a gang of 12 men was accused of illegally obtaining money from victims by making phone calls to victims residing in the United Arab Emirates, and records showed that the Pakistani defendants used to send WhatsApp messages or call their potential victims, using… 14 phone numbers.
Not only is the number of victims rising, but the amounts stolen through these scam calls are also rising, as the average loss reported in 2022 reached about $502 per person, the highest amount recorded since the Truecaller application began tracking this data. In 2014.
If you encounter any of the examples mentioned above, we advise you to end the call immediately and contact your bank to ensure the integrity of your accounts. You can also file a report with the police department as it is an electronic crime punishable by law.
2023-11-10 20:35:49
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