Security News > 2023 > February > Cybercriminals exploit fear and urgency to trick consumers

Cybercriminals remained active in spying and information stealing, with lottery-themed adware campaigns used as a tactic to obtain people's contact details, according to Avast.

"At the end of 2022, we have seen an increase in human-centered threats, such as scams tricking people into thinking their computer is infected, or that they have been charged for goods they didn't order. It's human nature to react to urgency, fear and try to regain control of issues, and that's where cybercriminals succeed," said Jakub Kroustek, Avast Malware Research Director.

"When people face surprising pop-up messages or emails, we recommend they stay calm and take a moment to think before they act. Threats are so ubiquitous today that it's hard for consumers to keep up. It is our mission to help protect people by detecting threats and alerting users before they can do any harm, using the latest AI-based technology," Kroustek continued.

Scammers will convince the caller to set up a remote connection to their computer, opening the door to theft of personal information and money, as the criminals try to access people's bank accounts or crypto wallets, and ask for a payment for their services.

"To avoid invoice fraud, people need to pay close attention to invoices they receive. Fraudulent invoices often look legitimate, and people need to verify whether an order really was made, the service received, and whether the sender is truly who they pretend to be ," said Kroustek.

People are asked to take part in a lottery, spinning a roulette wheel to win, and are then asked to enter their contact information and pay a "Handling fee" using their credit card or Google Pay or Apple Pay account.

News URL

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/02/13/cybercriminals-exploit-fear-urgency-trick-consumers/