November 19, 2024
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Already at the beginning of last year we reported on the so-called Smishing – i.e. phishing via SMS or text messenger.
Nevertheless, the danger is more acute than ever, because in this latest variant of the grandchild trick, the scammers use well-known messenger services - first and foremost WhatsApp.
The idea remains the same: gain the victim's trust by posing as an avoidable family member who is in need of money. Once the money has been transferred, even the police can often do nothing more.
“Hello dad, guess whose cell phone fell in the toilet” is the first message you receive from an unknown number. Even if the scam sounds like a simple scam, there is a huge machine behind the scam.
Call centers in other European countries and acting classes are just the tip of the criminal roots that make up an entire network throughout Europe. That this is a form of the social engineering acts, many people often do not see. A wide variety of stories are used from a repertoire to credibly assure the other person that you are the son, daughter or some other relative who is in financial need.
There are many possibilities, but one thing is certain: the scammers are after their victims' money. And once that has been handed over to the scammers, even the police are often powerless. With the new scam, however, another demographic is used, as with the original grandchild trick, which is primarily aimed at older citizens. This broader group of potential victims gives scammers a higher chance of success.
The scammers try to present themselves to their victims as known and, above all, trusted people. Attempts are often made to assume the role of daughter or son.
With messages like "Hello Mom, guess whose cell phone fell in the toilet?" or "Hello Dad, guess whose cell phone ended up in the washing machine?" the scammers try to create a relaxed and credible atmosphere on the one hand and on the other for others, they create a reason why you are being contacted by an unknown number.
This step serves to further secure the victim's trust. Here in particular it is noticeable that the scammers almost never have relevant information about their victims to conduct meaningful conversations. Statements by the victim that the scammer cannot relate to are often ignored and evasive answers are given.
The scammers' ultimate goal is to give the victim a logical reason to make a transfer. So whether it's a frozen bank account or a traffic accident, the goal is always the same: the victims' money.
As already described, the fraud is extremely perfidious and well thought out. There are often signs that it is a scam and the media has long warned of scammers' criminal activities, so why is the scam so lucrative?
On the one hand, of course, it depends on the amount of fraud attempts. As we have already explained, scams often come from call centers that specialize in processing large numbers of numbers. Unfortunately, there are always victims among these masses. Unfortunately, despite media attention, people keep falling for the criminals. WhatsApp has become an elementary part of our private life, so many people see messenger services like WhatsApp as a secure way of communication, similar to a letter. The fact that the fraud attempt hits them only by chance, because the scammers accidentally wrote to their number, does not occur to some people.
Protection from this type of scammers is primarily achieved through education. Not only is it important to raise the issue in public, family members should also be warned. We therefore advise:
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