Cybercriminals are exploiting well-known luxury brands, including Louis Vuitton, Rolex and Ray-Ban, to target users ahead of Black Friday.
Hackers create enticing emails that promise big discounts on these luxury products. The email addresses used by the hackers mimic authentic brands and the messages are quite convincing. However, a closer look reveals that the origin of the email has nothing to do with the luxury companies.
The emails contain malicious links. When victims click on the links, they are taken to websites that have been carefully crafted to resemble the official websites of luxury brands. The fake sites pretend to sell items at incredibly discounted prices.
See also: Dismantling of a vishing attack ring
Check Point says the goal of these phishing emails is to trick victims into entering their account details on fake sites. This sensitive information is then used by the attackers.
The product delivery sector is a key target for cybercriminals
Ahead of Black Friday, Check Point noted how cybercriminals are exploiting the delivery and shipping sectors.
In October 2023, there was a staggering 13% increase in the number of malicious files related to orders and product delivery/shipping, compared to October 2022.
See also: Half of ransomware groups detected in attacks in 2023 are new
Recently, Check Point discovered a campaign to distribute the Agent Tesla malware using Archive files delivered as email attachments . These emails had subject lines related to orders and shipments, such as – po-######.gz / shipping documents.gz.
Beware of strange sites
The researchers pointed out that there are phishing sites that have similar registered information and look similar to each other – offering well-known shoe brands at very low prices.
Cybercriminals have gone to great lengths to create deceptive sites that closely mimic the authentic platforms.
The goal of hackers is to trick end users into providing their credentials themselves. When phishing is effective, it can lead to the theft of usernames, passwords, credit card details, and other sensitive personal information. In particular, successful cases prompt users to log in to their email or bank accounts.
See also: Online shopping: How to shop online safely?
Some security measures that shoppers can take to protect themselves from fraud in the run-up to Black Friday are:
Verify the authenticity of the store: Before buying from a store, check its credibility. Research the store, read reviews from other customers, and check if it has a good reputation.
Beware of offers that seem too good to be true: If an offer seems too good to be true, it is likely a scam. It is important to be realistic and avoid overly attractive offers.
Avoid revealing personal information: Don't give out personal information, such as credit card numbers or passwords ,to untrustworthy stores. Also, be wary of requests for access to personal data in mobile phone apps.
Use secure payment platforms: Prefer to make purchases with a credit card or through secure payment platforms, such as PayPal. This will protect your personal data and allow you to cancel the transaction if necessary.
Source: www.infosecurity-magazine.com
