March 28, 2023
If you're concerned with IT security, you can't miss the OWASP Top 10. The non-profit organization Open Web Application Security
At the beginning of last year, we already reported on the so-called Smishing - phishing via SMS or text messenger.
Nevertheless, the threat is more acute than ever, because in this latest variant of the grandchild trick, the scammers are making use of well-known messaging services - with WhatsApp leading the way.
The idea remains the same: to gain the victim's trust by pretending to be a relative who is in need of money. Once the money has been transferred, even the police are often unable to do anything.
"Hi Dad, guess whose cell phone fell down the toilet?" is the first message you receive from an unknown number. Even if the scam sounds like a simple con, there is a huge machine behind it.
Call centers in other European countries and acting classes, are only the tip of criminal roots that make up an entire network throughout Europe. Many people often fail to see that this is a form of social engineering that has been perfected over many years. They make use of a repertoire of different stories to convincingly assure their counterparts that they are their son, daughter or some other relative in financial need.
The possibilities are manifold, but only one thing is certain: the scammers are after their victims' money. And once that money has been handed over to the scammers, even the police are often powerless. In the case of the new scam, however, there is the added factor that a different demographic is being used, as was the case with the original grandchild trick, which primarily targeted older citizens. This broader group of potential victims gives the scammers a higher chance of success.
The scammers try to pass themselves off to their victims as a known and, above all, familiar person. Often they try to take the role of the daughter or son.
With messages like "Hi mom, guess whose cell phone fell down the toilet?", or "Hi dad, guess whose cell phone landed in the washing machine?", the scammers try to create a casual and believable atmosphere on the one hand, and on the other hand, they create a reason why you are contacted by an unknown number.
This step serves to further secure the victim's trust. It is particularly noticeable here that the scammers almost never have relevant information about their victims in order to conduct conversations with content. Statements from the victim that the scammer cannot do anything with are often bypassed and evasive answers are given.
The ultimate goal of the scammers is to give the victim a logical reason to make a wire transfer. So whether it's a frozen bank account or a traffic accident, the goal is always the same: the victim's money.
As already described, the scam is extremely perfidious and well thought out. There are often signs that it is a scam and the media has also been warning about the criminal machinations of the scammers for a long time, so why is the scam so lucrative?
First, of course, it depends on the amount of scams. As we have already explained, the scam often runs out of call centers that specialize in processing a huge mass of numbers. Among these masses, victims are then unfortunately always found. Even despite media attention, people unfortunately fall for the criminals again and again. WhatsApp has become an elementary part of our private lives, so many people see messanger services like WhatsApp as a safe way to communicate, similar to a letter. The fact that the attempted scam only hits them by chance, because the scammers happened to write to their number, doesn't even occur to some people.
Protection against this type of fraudster is primarily achieved through education. It is not only important to address the issue in public, family members should also be warned. We therefore advise:
If you're concerned with IT security, you can't miss the OWASP Top 10. The non-profit organization Open Web Application Security
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