Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the withdrawal of AFP funds to defraud members through smishing. Find out the details here.
Due to the withdrawal of AFP funds, many people have bank accounts with significant amounts of money destined for the investment of a project, the payment of a debt, among other reasons. Cybercriminals have found a new way to scam affiliates by using scam techniques. smishingwhere they use fraudulent text messages to obtain personal information and empty funds from AFP accounts.
Smishing has become an effective tool for scammers due to the trust that users place in electronic communications. Hoax text messages appear to be legitimate and often include links that direct to fake web pages, designed to capture sensitive data. This type of scam not only affects users financially, but also puts their personal and financial security at risk.
Smishing: what is this type of theft that can leave you without AFP withdrawal funds?
Smishing is a variant of phishing that uses text messages to trick victims. Scammers send SMS that appear to be from financial entities or, in this case, pension fund administrators, requesting personal information or inviting users to click on malicious links. Once the victim accesses the link and enters their details, criminals can access the accounts and steal the funds.
These messages are often compelling and designed to appear legitimate, using logos and names of well-known institutions. Additionally, they often include a sense of urgency, indicating that there is a problem with the user’s account that needs to be resolved immediately. This sense of urgency pressures victims to act quickly without verifying the authenticity of the message.
How to prevent smishing?
Prevent the smishing requires a combination of attention and measures of security. First, it is essential that users do not respond to text messages that request personal or financial information. Financial institutions and AFPs never request sensitive data via SMS. Additionally, it is recommended not to click on links contained in these messages and, instead, contact the entity directly through official channels to verify the veracity of any communication received.
What other types of theft exist in cyberspace?
- Phishing: Sending fake emails that imitate legitimate institutions to obtain sensitive information such as passwords and banking details.
- vishing: Use of fraudulent telephone calls to impersonate representatives of companies or banks and obtain sensitive data.
- Malware: Malicious software that is installed on devices without the user’s knowledge, capturing personal information and allowing remote control of the device.
- Ransomware: Type of malware that encrypts user files and demands payment to unlock them.
- Keylogging: Software that records the user’s keystrokes, capturing passwords and other sensitive information.
- Social engineering: Psychological manipulation techniques to convince people to disclose sensitive information.
- DDoS attacks: Flooding a server with traffic to disrupt service and often demanding payment to stop the attack.
- Skimming: Use of devices to steal credit or debit card data at ATMs or point-of-sale terminals.
- Spoofing: Identity theft by creating fake websites or emails that imitate legitimate entities to steal information.
- Spyware: Software that is installed on devices to spy on user activities and collect information without their knowledge.
Source: Larepublica
Alia is a professional author and journalist, working at 247 news agency. She writes on various topics from economy news to general interest pieces, providing readers with relevant and informative content. With years of experience, she brings a unique perspective and in-depth analysis to her work.
