sextortion, phishing and the one known as ‘CEO fraud’ are the three scam methods most used by hackers when committing this type of crime. This has been denounced by the Ministry of the Interior, where they have also warned that since 2015 cybercrimes have increased by 352%. Most of these crimes occur via social networks or instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp.
The most frequent form of cyber-scam is through phishingwhere the victims receive an email in which the sender pretends to be a real bank or company to gain the person’s trust and the message includes a link to a web page that has been created by the hackers themselves and in which they ask the user to enter their personal data.
Of course, these fraudulent messages that hide a scam, in most cases they do so in a massive way, they are not only sent through an email, but also through messages on applications or social networks, such as WhatsApp.
Another of the scams that came through this ‘app’ and that became popular among the youngest was that of the false campaign of coupons that Lancôme supposedly distributed showing a link through which carriers could access to obtain the gift of a makeup chest. The company that owns the brand, L’Oréal, denounced it before the Incibe.
Faced with this type of threat, the Civil Guard recommends do not open attachments or links sent by cybercriminals; don’t download or install apps from sources that do not seem reliable; not install updates and have Always activate an antivirus.
This same week, the Benemérita detected a new campaign of fraudulent emails that spread malware known as a Trojan horse. In this scam, the criminals posed as banks such as BBVA or Banco Santander under the subject “Factoring and Confirming”.
New WhatsApp scam
On this occasion it was her own Civil Guard the one that has alerted of a new method used by cybercriminals to try to deceive their victims. It is a strategy that many will be familiar with but often changes in the message.
If you receive an SMS like this
DON’T ANSWER IT!!!
It is the message with the verification code for the installation. If you provide it to a third party, they will control your account on their device and with it, access to all your groups and contacts.#NoPiques pic.twitter.com/oDjhe9W2S4
— Civil Guard 🇪🇸 (@guardiacivil) February 11, 2023
“Hello. Sorry, I sent you a 6-digit code by SMS by mistake, can you send it to me? It is urgent”. This is the WhatsApp message that reaches the victims, without any emoticon or additional visual element.
According to reports from the authorities’ own Twitter account, it is the message with the verification code for an installation. In case of falling for the scam and passing on this data, a third party will control the account of the affected person and with it, they will have access to all their groups and contacts.
