Spear Phishing: Phishing is not a new attack method. We encounter it through our email. Most phishing attempts are fairly easy to detect, because malicious messages are often sent by unknown senders.
But there is a “new breed” of social media-connected scammers who use a variation of phishing. “Spear Phishing” or targeted phishing does exactly what its name suggests. Instead of sending thousands of messages and targeting anyone who falls into their trap, scammers focus their efforts on a single individual.
Below we describe some tactics (Spear Phishing) used by Social Media Phishers:
Phishers use fake profiles to gain entry into the victim's social circle.
The main tool a phisher uses on social networks is a fake profile. Phishers create fake profiles using photos they have stolen from other online profiles. They usually select photos of attractive individuals and adapt them to their profile, using fabricated demographic information based on what they imagine will be appealing to their victim.
Thus, for example, if their target is around 30 years old, the age they will choose will be close to 30. They may even use the same city as the victim, regardless of whether they live on another continent, or they may write that they attended the same high school as the victim.
Phishers exploit the victim's friends to gain credibility
A sign that reveals Spear Phishing scammers, in addition to the fake profile, is that they don't have many friends, because their profile usually has an expiration date and doesn't last long.
However, to gain the victim's favor, before they even send them a friend request, they will look at their friend list. Immediately after that, they will try to make as many of them friends as they can.
Experienced phishers will pay attention to this step, as they will gain the victim's trust more easily if they notice the mutual friends.
Phishers Use the Victim's Likes and Interests
Phishers will try to “read” through the victim's profile what they like and what they don't like. Scammers will start publishing comments they imagine will please the victim, and will like, the victim's posts, building a new relationship.
Once it has attracted the victim's interest, it can strike. Usually it does not do so publicly, by posting a malicious link, but sends it discreetly with a personal message. The link contained in the message appears to be something that interests the victim. In reality it is the bait to lead the victim to some phishing website where it can collect his personal details.
What can you do about Spear Phishing?
Try to hide as much information as you can
The less information phishers see, the better. Make your information visible only to your friends. Avoid creating a public profile that the entire internet can see. Spear Phishing scammers are looking for any information that will help their phishing efforts.
Hide your friends list
Change your settings so that not everyone can see your friends list.
Don't be too gullible with strangers who come to you out of nowhere
Unfortunately, all that glitters is not gold. Be careful of this, especially on the Internet.
