Phishing – although it is an old and very hackneyed method – is still the most frequently used technique by fraudsters. It does not require much effort from them, and at the same time it remains very effective. Unfortunately, there may only be more frauds in the coming weeks (due to, among others, the approaching pre-Christmas period).
An old method, but lots of people fall for it
Phishing (i.e. “fishing” for information) is a method in which fraudsters impersonate well-known companies, institutions or organizations that enjoy widespread trust in society. This includes, among others: about banks, police or public institutions. By using their logos and properly preparing websites, cybercriminals try to persuade people to click a link, provide sensitive data or send money.
That’s why fraud is so common, including: to a policeman, to a bank employee, to BLIK, etc. If we carelessly visit the fraudsters’ website, or even worse, provide data there or give it to them by phone, we may lose our life savings. There have been many recent examples of Poles losing up to several hundred thousand zlotys because they believed the made-up story of a bank “employee” or a false prosecutor.
The Central Office for Combating Cybercrime now warns people to be careful with this type of fraud and addresses their words especially to seniors who use the Internet. However, it is worth remembering that not only older people can be caught by phishing, but also young and middle-aged people.
In fake messages that closely resemble real ones, fraudsters encourage people to click on a link that leads to a fake login page. If we provide our private data there, criminals will be able to use it. And with our data, they can even steal money from our bank account. Sometimes messages may contain malicious attachments that infect our device. Using our emotions, e.g. anxiety, fear, joy of winning, time pressure (the offer is valid only today), they persuade us to take actions that may actually have serious consequences
– writes CBZC.
How to defend yourself against phishing? Common sense is the most important thing
The police reminds that the most popular stories used by fraudsters include: those involving an unpaid invoice, alleged problems with your bank account (e.g. your money is at risk), winnings in lotteries or vouchers for popular stores and problems with paying additional benefits. When we see a message on a similar topic, a red flag should immediately light up.
CBZC warns to be careful with messages that prey on our emotions and force us to take immediate action, that are too attractive (e.g. promotions) to be true. He adds that you should read the content of each message carefully and pay attention to the sender’s e-mail address. It is also better not to open attachments from unknown people, not to click on any links in messages from unknown senders, to carefully consider where we are going to provide any sensitive data and to enable two-step verification when logging in to accounts (e.g. social media and e-mail) and to use strong passwords. . If you are not sure whether a given message is true, you can seek the opinion of a loved one.
Read the content of the message carefully and check whether it contains no linguistic, stylistic or typographical errors. Even if the message appears to be genuine, verify the sender – check the email address the message comes from. If the information comes from a bank and in the e-mail from the sender after the @ sign there is a name other than the bank’s name, it is probably a scam. It is worth calling the company or institution that allegedly contacts us and clarify the matter by phone or at the nearest branch
– explains CBZC.
Black Friday is on Friday, and Cyber Monday is next Monday, days when many stores organize attractive promotions. Soon, Poles will also go to stores (or buy them online) on the occasion of the upcoming holidays. Scammers love such opportunities and take advantage of them every year. Therefore, it is worth being especially careful not to be fooled.
Source: Gazeta
Mabel is a talented author and journalist with a passion for all things technology. As an experienced writer for the 247 News Agency, she has established a reputation for her in-depth reporting and expert analysis on the latest developments in the tech industry.
