2023-05-04 23:53:56
The development of technology has meant that, currently, the user does not have to go down the street practically for nothing. You can even buy any product, whether needed or not, through your devices. Cybercriminals are aware of this reality, which is why they have been posing as SMS messaging companies, emails, and calls for a long time. All in order to deceive users and ‘hack’ their devices or steal their data.
Without going any further, a few days ago the National Institute of Cybersecurity (Incibe) warned about the discovery of a new campaign in which criminals pose as the Fedex courier company to rob Internet users. Nothing new.
If you want to avoid falling into such trapsIt is capital that you are able to recognize them. Below we explain everything you need to know for it.
Excuses of all kinds
As we said, cybercriminals often use messages, calls, and emails to impersonate these types of companies. During the last few years they have used all kinds of excuses to deceive Internet users. For example, the cases in which they ask the user for a payment to receive a supposed package are quite common. There are also campaigns in which a problem with a shipment is reported or in which a fraudulent link is simply provided to carry out the supposed tracking of a shipment that does not exist.
As in so many other cases, the purpose of these messages is to alert the Internet user to click on a link which is usually attached to the malicious email or SMS. This can hide a computer virus designed to steal the information stored on the affected device or it can redirect to a fraudulent page in which, through forms, criminals seek the user to inadvertently share their private information, especially the from your online banking account.
Over the last few years there have been several scam campaigns seeking to convince Android mobile users to download an alternative Post Office application to track a package. The problem is that it was basically a banking Trojan, specifically designed to steal bank information.
demanding speed
Normally, in online scams, criminals want the user to act quickly. There are cases in which, for example, they ask you to make a payment in a short period of time if you do not want to run out of the supposed package. If the message rushes you, be clear that it is quite likely that you are facing a scam.
never answer directly
The first thing you should do when you come across a message of this type is keep calm. If you have the slightest doubt about the veracity of the communication, the best thing to do is contact the company that supposedly has the package through another means. It is enough to carry out a quick search on the Internet to find the easiest way to contact the firm on duty and for it to clear up your doubts.
At the slightest suspicion about the veracity of the message, it is important that do not ‘click’ on any accompanying linkssince, as we have explained, this can cause malicious code to be downloaded to the device.
How to avoid getting infected
The user has at his disposal several security measures that can help him avoid being a victim of a ‘hack’ through a scam of this type. For example, you can keep your terminal updated and have security solutions installed, that is, antivirus.
In case you are an Android user, it is also recommended that you keep the ‘Installation of apps from unknown sources’ option disabled in your devices settings so as not to download unwanted apps from unofficial or unknown sources.
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