Scammers are now peddling "digital cards" to Russians for fraudulent purposes.
Rewritten Article:
Dishonest swindlers are targeting Russian citizens, exploiting their personal data and accounts through Telegram messenger. That's according to Komsomolskaya Pravda.
These online con artists promise “virtual cards” that allow users to make purchases abroad and sign up for foreign services, all from the comfort of their homes. The catch? They need your details – names, phone numbers, and passport information. In exchange, they provide you with "card details" supposedly linked to foreign banks or payment systems.
To add a layer of deception, users may be provided access to a fake smartphone app, where they can supposedly monitor their "virtual card's" balance.
Here's the twist – sometimes, these victims unknowingly become part of the scam, inviting more trouble. If they agree to spread the offer, they can find themselves tangled up in the fraudulent scheme, potentially facing consequences.
On a deeper level, these scams revolve around phishing tactics. Fraudsters create fake Telegram channels that mimic legitimate banks or services. They entice victims with lucrative offers, such as high cashback, virtual card services, and fake stock promotions.
When users click on the malicious links embedded in the messages, they're led to either identical replicas of genuine banking portals or download fake apps, disposable fronts for harvesting sensitive information such as card details and SMS codes.
Once the scammers have gathered this data, they can engage in unauthorized transactions or sell the virtual cards on the dark web for illicit activities. Worse still, the gathered data may be resold on dark web markets, used for identity fraud, or employed in automated testing tools for card-not-present fraud.
To stay safe, authorities advise against clicking on unverified links and refrain from sharing SMS codes. Be cautious, stay informed, and avoid becoming part of this unfortunate online chaos.
- The fraudulent scheme, as reported by Komsomolskaya Pravda, involves telegram channels that mimic legitimate banks or services, enticing victims with these promises: high cashback, virtual card services, and fake stock promotions, all leading to phishing tactics.
- Users who receive such fraudulent telegram messages are at risk of having their personal data compromised, including names, phone numbers, and passport information, if they agree to provide these details.
- Unwitting participants in this scam may potentially face consequences, while also inadvertently helping scammers by spreading the offer to others.
- Cybersecurity experts emphasize the importance of not clicking on unverified links, and refraining from sharing SMS codes to protect one's cybersecurity and prevent identity fraud.
- In the realm of general-news and crime-and-justice, this telegram scam serves as a reminder about the dangers of technology and the need for vigilance in the digital age, as scammers continue to devise new methods for exploiting users.
