Fraudsters are constantly refining their scams to steal your money. In addition to internet calls via messaging apps like Viber, Telegram, or WhatsApp, they may also use landline and mobile phones, as well as online video calls. They most often pose as law enforcement officers, employees of mobile operators, government agencies, or banks, or, less commonly, as your relative or boss, a broker, or a cryptocurrency exchange trader.
Law enforcement agencies NEVER:
- They do not solicit assistance from citizens via telephone conversations.
- They do not demand the transfer of funds for the purpose of declaring them or verifying the legality of earnings.
- They do not request confidential information, such as passwords, card numbers, or other personal information, over the phone.
- They do not demand immediate monetary payments to “avoid arrest” or “solve problems.”
- They do not send photos of official identification cards via instant messaging apps.
Any phone calls of this kind are illegal and aimed at stealing money!
The most common phrases used by scammers are:
- «Your account will be blocked if you don’t respond immediately.»
- «There’s an attempt to steal your money; a suspicious transaction has been detected.»
- «Your account has been hacked. Please confirm your information to restore access.»
- «We have information that your personal data has been stolen. We can help you protect yourself.»
- «Please verify your identity to avoid having your account blocked.»
- «This is a financial security specialist, a bank security officer.»
Here are some safety rules to follow to avoid being scammed when shopping online:
- Don’t give anyone your login and password for your personal accounts at stores, marketplaces, banks, and so on.
- Don’t follow external links: access the page and personal account only from the company’s original website.
- Contact customer support only on official websites or in apps.
- Don’t give codes to anyone over the phone.
- Don’t save credit cards or overdraft cards in your personal accounts for payment.
- Create a separate card for marketplaces and only deposit enough to cover the purchase itself.
- If you doubt you’re receiving a call from a company representative, hang up and call the store’s support team directly at the number listed on the website.
- Don’t store copies of your identification documents in messengers or make them publicly accessible.
- Before placing an order, check the seller’s reviews and ratings, account information, and payment terms.
- Enable two-factor authentication for all your accounts.
Be vigilant and cautious when conducting any financial transactions online. If anything seems suspicious, it’s best to err on the side of caution and verify the information. Protecting your money and data is your responsibility!
More information in the “CYBERFORTRESS” Telegram channel.
