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Criminals are misusing the Auxílio Brasil to scam people. They promise the victims that R$2,500 will be transferred to them if they complete a registration on some webpages. Their intention is to steal personal information. According to a survey carried out by the cybersecurity company PSafe, there are about 20,000 attempted scams a day.
Thousands of Attacks
Between July 13th and 20th, the company says it has identified 17 websites that are using the name of the Auxílio Brasil program to carry out scams. In the period, more than 140,000 attempts were blocked.
Attack Method
To attract the victims, criminals use different methods, PSafe claims. Approaches occur mostly through WhatsApp, but it is also possible that they arrive via SMS or email. In some cases, they send messages to the potential victim informing them that they are entitled to the benefit. In other cases, the victim receives a message with a link for them to see if they can receive Auxílio Brasil. For this, she would need to enter personal data on the platform. After the false consultation, the person receives a message informing them that they are entitled to receive the amount of R$ 2,500, available for immediate withdrawal, simply by informing the PIX key number. According to the company, after this procedure, the data is saved on the website and can be used by criminals.
Avoid the Attacks
Promises of easy money and large amounts are good indicators that a scam may be going on. This is also the first step to dodge the criminals’ attacks. Nevertheless, a few additional other measures can be put into practice to reduce risks.
Recommendations:
- Install a security program on your cell phone or computer to blocks malicious links sent in real time
- Check information shared online, especially when it comes to alleged promotions that are too good to be true
- Never inform personal data, ID number, full name, phone number, among others, in links of questionable origin
- Use a URL checker to find out if a page is legitimate or not – PSafe offers one
- When checking an online promotion or offer, even if they are well-known stores, go to the brands’ official pages and see if they also have information about the offer
