Scammers are taking advantage of the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine to exploit people’s emotions, according to researchers at ESET.
“Geopolitical turmoil often leads to human misery, which tends to pull at the heartstrings,” ESET says. “Legitimate charities may solicit donations to help their efforts to support innocent citizens caught in the crossfire. Scammers know this and will create their own fake charities – or impersonate legitimate ones – to collect donations. They may have professional-looking websites designed to add weight to their requests. Be in no doubt, though, if you fall for these scams you’ll end up handing them your money, your card details, or both.”
In addition to charity scams, attackers are using travel-themed phishing lures related to flight cancellations, running romance scams claiming to be deployed soldiers, and using fake news articles to trick users into clicking malicious links.
“Whatever tactics they choose, the end goal is usually the same: to harvest your credentials and/or personal and financial data,” ESET says. “Or to trick you directly into making payments to non-existent entities. These are not novel techniques. They’re tried and tested and could come via email, text, social media, or phone call. What’s different is the lure; specially crafted for timeliness and maximum impact.”
The researchers conclude, “A good rule of thumb is never to click on links or open attachments in unsolicited messages, even if they look convincing and appear as if sent from a trusted source. If you really want to know if it’s a genuine message or not, check independently with the sender; i.e., don’t reply directly or use contact details in the message itself. Or if it’s a news story, go directly to your favored news outlet.”
ESET has the story: Why geopolitical turmoil is a gift for scammers, and how to stay safe
