Beware of this dangerous scam: here is a detailed description of what it consists of and how to protect yourself effectively to avoid being fooled.
Scams are a big problem these days. Identifying them has become particularly complex, especially with the sophisticated tools of scammers, but it is not impossible. The key remains information, which allows you to best defend yourself in the event of an incident.
Recently, reports of new phishing cases have emerged, causing serious difficulties, including the theft of many WhatsApp profiles. This is a subtle scam, set up by cybercriminals who exploit the relationships between friends and acquaintances. The National Police provided more details on this ruse, which particularly affects the city of Aosta.
Scholarship scam: how to identify and protect yourself from it
As reported by the official website of the National Police, cybercriminals have orchestrated a well-designed and particularly dangerous scam, which we must be wary of.
It all starts when the victim receives a message on WhatsApp, allegedly from a friend or trusted contact. This message contains an invitation to participate in a survey with a tempting promise: a scholarship. The text of the text message reads: “ Hi ! Please vote for Federica in this poll, she’s a friend’s daughter ».
Once the user clicks on the link, they are taken to a web page asking for their phone number. Afterwards, the victim receives a code by SMS which they are invited to copy on the page. If the user follows this procedure, then he loses control of his WhatsApp account, which is held hostage.
Once their goal is achieved, the scammers use the stolen account to send further deceptive messages to the victim’s contacts. The police advise do not click on the links sent or share codes received by SMS on unofficial sites.
It is crucial to always verify the real identity of the sender of messages, especially in case of unusual requests. No official body solicits personal codes via links on messaging applications.
As a citizen, I find it alarming to see the ingenuity of scammers who exploit relationships of trust. This situation pushes us to reflect on the need for increased digital education. What can we do to make those around us aware of these dangers? Mutual aid and the sharing of information can be our best allies. What do you think?
