Fake advertising is mainly displayed on social media. From a short video, the user learns about how to invest, e.g. in cryptocurrencies, gold or company shares. A hero known, for example, from the media, says that it is simple, safe and guarantees quick profit. The advertising seems authentic, but most often it is a deepfake, a false recording created using artificial intelligence, increasingly used, for example, to sell fake investments.
Methods of stealing funds
At first glance, it is difficult to distinguish a fake ad from a real one. This is the plague of our times. Clicking on it takes the user to a fake website that resembles the portal of a large investment company. It often contains positive opinions from other “investors” and recommendations from famous people. Providing your personal data most often results in a phone call from a supposed investment advisor who explains the process and encourages you to make a transfer, e.g.
– a sent payment link that leads to a website that extorts confidential data and leads to the theft of money,
– classic transfer (the victim receives the data needed to make the transfer, which he/she executes),
– cryptocurrency wallet,
– remote desktop application (gives fraudsters access to the user’s device and, after logging in to the bank, also to his or her money).
The victims, deceived by the vision of getting rich quickly, make subsequent transfers. In some situations, they initially receive a small payment into their account, which is intended to lull their vigilance and encourage them to make further larger investments. The sense of credibility is strengthened by, for example, charts showing the profit presented to the victim.
Scammers operate like a business
Fake investments are a business that brings millions of dollars in profits. Criminals are increasingly choosing high-margin frauds in which they can make a lot of money from a single victim. Fraudsters promote their ads, profile them and target them more and more precisely. They often even have fake call centers where advisors use call scripts. Conducting such activities abroad makes it difficult to break up a criminal group. That is why it is so important to be aware of online threats and to involve online platforms disseminating false advertising in taking appropriate actions to combat fake investments.
What is scam-on-scam?
People who have once lost money on a fake investment may be scammed again. The fraudster uses the data and history obtained from the victim to rob him again, but in a different scenario, e.g. by impersonating a prosecutor or a law firm that is supposed to help the victim recover the lost funds. The cybercriminal forces you to transfer several or several thousand zlotys as remuneration or a fee.
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The partner of the material is PKO BANK POLSKI
