Black Friday: Fraudsters impersonate DHL and other courier companies in SMS messages and emails. Be careful not to fall into the trap!
Black Friday is here and you're not the only one rejoicing because you can get your favorite products at lower prices. This period (which also includes the previous days when sales start) also makes cybercriminals happy , who exploit the increased orders to their advantage.
So this year too, scammers are imitating well-known courier companies and sending phishing messages to users.
According to cybersecurity firm Proofpoint , SMS scams – called “ smishing ” – have seen a significant increase. The fake messages impersonate delivery companies , such as DHL or DPD .
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Proofpoint found that in 2020, 16% of smishing scams were fake messages from purported courier companies, while in 2021 this number increased to 56%. Overall, attacks in the UK jumped 105% in just one year. As a result, this year's Black Friday could see even more threats.
Smishing messages often talk about a “package” that could not be delivered and the victim must reschedule the delivery, or about a package for which an extra amount must be paid to be delivered.
The message includes a link that, when clicked, takes the victim to a page phishing – a fake version of the real delivery company’s website. The scammers use the phishing page to install malware on the victim’s device or ask victims to enter details which they then steal.
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Many people fall for scams like this because they order a lot of products online during Black Friday and the holiday season and don't necessarily know which courier company will be used. Delivery companies often send legitimate short-form text messages to customers , so it can be difficult to tell a real message from a scam.
To determine if a website is legitimate, look closely at the link. If it has strange characters or words, it is not trustworthy (e.g. with [] symbols). Websites with [] in their links are most likely fake, because there is no reason for a real website to have such symbols.
It’s no wonder that various scams occur during shopping holidays like Black Friday. Bitdefender found that current phishing include messages offering discounts on branded products, fake gift cards for popular stores, and fake surveys promising the latest Android phones upon completion.
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Protect yourself against smishing/phishing attacks
One of the best ways to protect yourself from smishing attacks is to simply be aware of their existence. Never click on links or download attachments from unknown senders, even if the message seems legitimate. If you’re not sure if a text message is real, contact the purported sender using a phone number or email address that you know is legitimate. And remember, reputable organizations will never ask you for sensitive information , like your password. If you receive a text message asking for this kind of information, it’s almost certainly a scam.
Source: www.techradar.com
