Kaspersky experts have spotted a new e-fraud system designed to trick people into believing they owe them compensation. Under the guise of offering compensation for personal data leaks, scammers are urging users to buy "US Temporary Social Security numbers" worth about $ 9 each. Victims were found in Russia, Algeria, Egypt and the UAE, among other countries.
Privacy and data protection are among the most talked about topics in recent years. This is not surprising, as are the penalties imposed on companies that have experienced data breaches. This, like any other topic that catches the eye, could not help but attract scammers who look forward to making money at the expense of others.
Kaspersky experts have identified a brand new scheme that exploits these issues around the privacy. Το σχέδιο περιλαμβάνει μια ιστοσελίδα allegedly owned by the Privacy Fund, which was established by the US Trade Commission. As mentioned, the fund issues compensation to those who may have suffered a leak of personal data and is available to citizens of any country in the world.
For those interested, the site offers to check if a user's data has ever been leaked. For this purpose, the user πρέπει να δώσει τα πλήρη στοιχεία του (ονοματεπώνυμο, αριθμό τηλεφώνου και λογαριασμούς μέσων κοινωνικής δικτύωσης). Μόλις γίνει αυτό, εμφανίζεται μια ειδοποίηση που δηλώνει ότι ο χρήστης έχει υποστεί διαρροή, η οποία μπορεί να περιλαμβάνει data such as photos, videos and contact information, allowing the user to receive thousands of dollars in compensation. However, scammers don't just ask the user to enter a credit card number and wait for the compensation amount to be credited. Users must also enter their Social Security Number (SSN – a nine-digit number issued to US citizens, as well as US permanent and temporary workers).
In every possible scenario - whether it is the absence of SSN or the introduction of a valid existing SSN - the site warns of errors and offers to sell a temporary one for $ 9. Upon agreement, the victim is redirected to this payment form in Russian or English with the purchase price set in rubles or dollars respectively. This form depends on the IP address of the victim.
"The scammers themselves are probably Russian-speaking, as implied by the demand for ruble payments, plus the suspicious similarity of the system to other easy money offers that often entice residents of Russia and the CIS. The electronic bait in these designs varies - gifts, surveys, and even part-time work as a taxi driver - but they tend to be in Russian (as are some of the previous links). The essence is always the same: the great promise of enough and easy money, followed by a demand for payment for a cheap service, whether it is a Commission, a "guarantee" of payment, or a temporary SSN. The new system is quite current and is related to the provision of compensation for data leaks. "Once some organizations started paying users, the scammers decided that there was a financial opportunity for them as well," said Tatyana Sidorina, a security expert at Kaspersky.
To stay protected from the potential risks of cyber fraud, Kaspersky experts advise:
Do not trust payment offers. If someone promises you a big cash payout for something seemingly trivial like participating in a survey, it is almost certainly a trick. And if you are asked to pay something to get the money, you can be doubly sure that it is a scam.
Use reliable sources. Look for the organization to see if it really exists and if it exists, check its website carefully. Pay attention to the language: a reliable organization will not publish text full of errors and typographical errors.
Use a reliable security solution.
Here you can find detailed information about the fraud.
