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Comments on social media are effective in trapping unsuspecting relatives.
In recent months, cybersecurity specialists at Malwarebytes have increasingly spotted a new type of scam on Facebook* aimed at people who have lost loved ones. Scammers use stolen photos and fake links to funeral "live streams" to lure money and credit card details.
This type of fraud is becoming more common, as new cybercriminals quickly pick up successful schemes. Using proven methods, they involve more and more participants in their actions.
There are two main approaches to this type of fraud that attackers are currently using. In one case, they create fake links to funeral broadcasts, inviting users to click on a link to watch the ceremony, and asking them to share the link with friends and family. In another case, they apply for donations on behalf of the family of the deceased.
Typically, the scam starts with a comment under the funeral notification on Facebook. The comment indicates that users can donate money and offer to watch the broadcast by clicking on the specified link. The domains to which these links lead are regularly blocked by antivirus programs, but scammers create more and more new sites to continue their activities.
After clicking on the link, users are taken to a page where they are asked to register. Although the person originally clicked on the link to broadcast the funeral, they are redirected to a page that asks for credit card details to activate the "membership."
Such scam sites explain the need to provide credit card details as a requirement for a video streaming license, but in reality, they are trying to charge the card under the guise of paying for membership. The fine print indicates that users automatically agree to additional paid services with regular charges.
Cybercriminals are quick to respond to new funeral reports and use fake profiles with photos of the deceased taken from funeral home or tribute websites. These posts look plausible and can fool even attentive users.
Some American funeral homes have already begun adding warnings that funerals are not broadcast online to protect people from scams. The National Association of Funeral Directors (NFDA) also emphasizes that there is no need to pay to watch official broadcasts, and that links to them are provided only directly to the family of the deceased.
It's important to be alert to friendship requests from strangers on social media, as these could be scammers trying to access your posts. If you come across suspicious comments with links, they should be immediately reported to the platform administration to prevent possible fraud. Also, you should never enter your credit card details on unfamiliar sites.
Source
In recent months, cybersecurity specialists at Malwarebytes have increasingly spotted a new type of scam on Facebook* aimed at people who have lost loved ones. Scammers use stolen photos and fake links to funeral "live streams" to lure money and credit card details.
This type of fraud is becoming more common, as new cybercriminals quickly pick up successful schemes. Using proven methods, they involve more and more participants in their actions.
There are two main approaches to this type of fraud that attackers are currently using. In one case, they create fake links to funeral broadcasts, inviting users to click on a link to watch the ceremony, and asking them to share the link with friends and family. In another case, they apply for donations on behalf of the family of the deceased.
Typically, the scam starts with a comment under the funeral notification on Facebook. The comment indicates that users can donate money and offer to watch the broadcast by clicking on the specified link. The domains to which these links lead are regularly blocked by antivirus programs, but scammers create more and more new sites to continue their activities.
After clicking on the link, users are taken to a page where they are asked to register. Although the person originally clicked on the link to broadcast the funeral, they are redirected to a page that asks for credit card details to activate the "membership."
Such scam sites explain the need to provide credit card details as a requirement for a video streaming license, but in reality, they are trying to charge the card under the guise of paying for membership. The fine print indicates that users automatically agree to additional paid services with regular charges.
Cybercriminals are quick to respond to new funeral reports and use fake profiles with photos of the deceased taken from funeral home or tribute websites. These posts look plausible and can fool even attentive users.
Some American funeral homes have already begun adding warnings that funerals are not broadcast online to protect people from scams. The National Association of Funeral Directors (NFDA) also emphasizes that there is no need to pay to watch official broadcasts, and that links to them are provided only directly to the family of the deceased.
It's important to be alert to friendship requests from strangers on social media, as these could be scammers trying to access your posts. If you come across suspicious comments with links, they should be immediately reported to the platform administration to prevent possible fraud. Also, you should never enter your credit card details on unfamiliar sites.
Source
