2024-01-01 20:06:54
It is estimated that around 6 thousand cases of scams have occurred throughout the country – Andina credit
Reports of digital scams have experienced an increase in Peru during 2023, as criminals adopt new technologies to carry out their deceptions. In total, according to the National Police of Peru (PNP), it is estimated that around 6 thousand cases have occurred throughout the country, although the complaints made barely exceed 1500, which translates to a total of 53 million 89 thousand 692 soles and 26 million 977 thousand 635 dollars in losses.
The methods used by scammers have become increasingly sophisticated, resorting to the use of artificial intelligence to create more convincing deception tactics. These technological advances allow them to simulate voices, generate fake images of non-existent people, and even imitate writing patterns, making it difficult for potential victims to distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent interactions.
The PNP has identified various types of scams, including identity theft, false job offers, banking scams via emails and phone calls, as well as investments in fictitious cryptocurrencies. Cybercriminals have improved their strategies to adapt to the new ways in which Peruvians interact virtually and carry out transactions online.
One of the most common tactics is phishing, where criminals send emails or text messages that appear to come from banks or recognized companies, requesting confidential information. On the other hand, scams related to the cryptocurrency market have also gained prominence, taking advantage of the growing interest in digital investments. Scammers create fake investment platforms or promise implausible returns to lure their victims.
Citizen insecurity in the digital sphere has also been aggravated by the sale of non-existent products on electronic commerce platforms, fraud in vehicle and property sales, and false charity collections. These scams usually involve web pages and profiles on social networks that disappear after the fraud.
Avoid trusting offers with excessively low prices as these may be phishing campaigns to attract attention and be scammed. (Composition: Infobae Peru)
In dialogue with Infobae Perú, the lawyer expert in Digital Law, Erick Iriarte, warned about several types of fraud on the rise, among them, the increase in online purchase scams, which have become the most reported.
Iriarte highlights that although complaints have increased, this does not necessarily reflect a growth in the number of scams, but rather greater confidence in the authorities to report incidents. The Specialized Cybercrime Prosecutor’s Office and the High Technology Division have improved their response capacity, although this has also revealed the lack of resources to meet the growing demand.
“It is not that we are talking about more cases, but there are more visible cases. 1500 would mean just over five cases per day. How many emails have you received with scam attempts in the year? How many people don’t report? In effect, the complaint is just the most superficial layer of the real phenomenon behind it. Many people do not trust the administration of justice, they do not even know that there is a specialized prosecutor’s office or, thirdly, and most commonly, they are ashamed that it is known that they fell into a message from their Netflix account and it has to be updated. “, he told this medium.
Iriarte stressed the importance of promoting a culture of cybersecurity from school as a preventive measure and called on the State to lead this initiative. “The first element where people would be trained on the subject of cybersecurity is in school. If you have people who can directly access technological tools and you do not give them training in personal data protection and cybersecurity issues, the probability that they will fall is greater,” he mentioned.
On the other hand, regarding the possibilities of recovering the lost money, the specialist indicated that, although legislative modifications have been made and the financial system offers certain protection mechanisms, success depends on numerous factors, including the user’s behavior when face potential scams.
Online shopping motivates criminals to steal money and data. (Freepik)
For next year, Iriarte projects that scams will be aimed at obtaining personal data to target specific individuals, making data protection and awareness about the dangers of sharing information on social networks even more necessary.
The outlook for 2024 suggests the continuity of this type of crime, with a trend towards personalization and trafficking of personal information as tools for even more specific and elaborate scams. The preparation and education of the population will be key to confronting this evolution of cybercrime.
“Increasingly what they are going for is looking for specific individuals. Therefore, the trafficking of personal data to generate these scams becomes more important. At the same time that you create a cybersecurity culture issue, you have to create a culture of personal data protection in which people are not giving away their data,” says Iriarte.
Peruvians can report a computer crime at any police station in the country, as well as directly at the High Technology Crime Investigation Division at number 942 440 729 or at [email protected].
La Divindat recommends saving the evidence, and not deleting the messages or emails received to track the cybercriminal.
PNP
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