On the eve of the New Year, Russian instant messenger users became victims of scammers, writes FederalPress.
Fraudsters, taking advantage of the pre-holiday bustle, became more active and began hacking user accounts in popular instant messengers, including Telegram. They then send messages on behalf of the victims to contacts asking for financial assistance. Criminals convince people to transfer money to a card they specify by providing photos of cards that turn out to be fakes.
Fraudsters often gain access to Russians’ accounts by distributing malicious links that disguise themselves as harmless requests or even votes. However, as noted by Kaspersky Lab expert Sergey Golovanov, there is another common way to “take” an account out of the control of the owner – by luring out a one-time code to link it to another device.
Experts warn that before the New Year, the activity of scammers usually increases, as people become less vigilant and more inclined to do good deeds.
To protect your account from hacking, it is recommended to install two-step verification. In addition, experts advise not to click on unknown links and to be vigilant when receiving suspicious messages. Paying attention to digital security will help you avoid unpleasant situations ahead of the holidays.
Source: Rosbalt
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
