Fraud attempts date back to ancient times. For centuries, some people have tried to get money from others through deception, and in the digital age, this has not changed, it has only been updated. Years ago, scam attempts came via email.as it was the most widespread form of online communication. Then came applications like WhatsApp, widely used in countries like Europe, Brazil or India.
Since then Scam attempts have changed and adapted to these new platforms, in addition to continuing to be seen in more classic systems, such as SMS, although we currently only use them to receive notifications from companies, whether public or private. And scammers also take advantage of this.
Avoiding receiving them is not easy and strategies like the Robinson List do not work with this type of attacks. However, there are things we can keep in mind to minimize the risks of falling for one of these scams.
Go send a text message
Although in some countries like the United States, text messaging continues to be a form of communication between individuals, In Europe, their high price quickly overthrew apps like WhatsApp.. This makes receiving an SMS in our country synonymous with the fact that a company has contacted us about something.
It is normal to receive it when you are expecting a package, or when you receive a medical appointment with the specific time and day, as well as the location. Scammers know this and sometimes They are trying to supplant government entities like the DGT or other organizations.
The message manages to be introduced into the SMS line between the bank and its customers
Phone number. One of the first things to check when receiving an SMS is the number from which it was sent. If it starts with a number other than +34, which is the prefix for Europe, the chances of it being a scam increase. The same thing happens if it has a number of digits greater or less than the Spanish numbers.
Spelling mistakes. Sometimes scammers write automatically, using poor translations and spelling mistakes. Even typographical errors, such as not punctuating a sentence correctly or not writing the opening question or exclamation points, will also help prevent you from falling for scams.
Unknown numbers. If we receive a message from a person we know but from a different number than the usual one, we should be suspicious. Child impersonation scams are completely normal, and urgency usually leads to falling in love with them. When in doubt, it is best to call that person’s phone number directly to find out if it is them or not.
No link. In many of these messages, it looks like a link to click on, normally, to receive more information, to know where “our order” is or things like that. You should never click on these links, much less install applications from them.
SMS received claiming to be Caixabank
Personal informations. The links often lead to websites that pretend to be those of companies or government agencies. The intention is to ask for personal data in addition to banking data, under the pretext of paying a fine or receiving a prize. You should never provide data through these messages.
Also on WhatsApp it is possible to receive messages trying to make us fall into a scam. One of the most normal is to offer a job with a high salary and that also takes a few hours. The elements to keep in mind are similar to what we have seen with SMS.
Native country. In WhatsApp it is possible to see the country of origin of a phone number. If it does not match what we expect, it is better not to answer. Obviously, if we usually chat with people from that country, it is possible that it is a normal message.
Do not send verification. Another common scam is to ask for a code that arrives on our mobile “by mistake” and that would give the attacker access to our WhatsApp account. This is why you should never transmit SMS data to a stranger via WhatsApp.
The message received when sharing screen on WhatsApp
Free Android
Video call. One of the latest scam attempts is to make a video call to the victim pretending to be another person, asking him to share the screen and there he sees the verification SMS that WhatsApp sends when he tries to log in on another device, managing to steal the account.
Cloning numbers. Even if a person we know writes us urgently on WhatsApp to ask for something that they normally do not ask us, we can be faced with a scam. If that person’s number has been stolen, it is possible that the thieves are using their contacts to ask for money or try to steal other numbers. It is best to call that person directly.
Automatic download. Another danger of WhatsApp is attachments. Sometimes files are sent with the aim of damaging the target device. But it is possible to configure WhatsApp so that these downloads are manual and not automatic. Of course, you should never open a file from an unknown contact.
General rules
Whenever we are faced with a message that we do not expect or that is not normal in our daily lives, the best we can do is use common sense. It is best not to make hasty decisions because of the supposed urgency that these messages usually convey.
This is something that scammers play with, with the possibility that, faced with imminent danger or the emergency of a loved one, we act without thinking. Every time we are asked for something by message, we must try to confirm it by call. If an SMS arrives, it is necessary to confirm that the number is that of the company in question and even in this case, it is better to make the call ourselves than to manage it via an SMS received unexpectedly.
