TOP 5 popular payment fraud schemes at the end of 2021

[Carding Forum]

Read in the review how cybercriminals most often deceive and be vigilant

Experts summed up the results of payment and ATM fraud in 2021 and told which schemes are the most common. Read in the review how cybercriminals most often deceive and be vigilant.

1. Corona fraud​

The pandemic has radically changed the world, and it gave fraudsters an additional opportunity for quick profit. Areas of COVID-19 cyber fraud include fake sales of everything "anti-coronavirus", malicious apps and links to resources that "track the surge of coronavirus on your street in real time." Fraudsters are launching online courses promising additional income on the Internet, courses on learning foreign languages, fraudulent online cinemas and theaters, online fitness, mobile applications for food and medicine delivery, fake online family doctor consultations, phishing sites for paying utility bills, card-to-card transfers and mobile top-ups, services for allegedly returning money for unused air tickets and vouchers, paid questionnaires on the topic of the virus, as well as fraudulent Viber bots.

As we can see, scammers are in a hurry to profit from everything that actually became relevant in 2020. Therefore, you need to be careful and not fall for the tricks of criminals who play on the feelings of gullible citizens.

2. Romantic fraud​

In 2020, the fraudulent scheme on dating sites was also relevant: criminals chose their victims on such sites or on social networks, and then sent them romantic messages or phishing emails in order to defraud funds, card details and extortion.

3. SIM card hijacking​

This type of cyber fraud has been relevant for several years now and, unfortunately, is only gaining momentum. The scheme consists in re-issuing a SIM card without the knowledge of its owner in order to empty the victim's bank account, issue loans in the name of the victim, steal personal information, extortion, etc.

Favorable prerequisites for the growth of fraud involving theft of SIM cards are a large number of unidentified subscribers (more than 80%), the use of SMS to confirm banking and financial transactions, and simplified conditions for SIM card recovery.

The most common scenarios for this type of fraud are as follows:

• Attackers restore access to online banking, increase limits and make fraudulent transfers of all available money.
• Attackers restore access to a Google account, gain access to copies of identification documents, and issue online loans.
• Attackers restore access to the vibeer, gain access to the victim's contacts and send messages to further deceive the victim's contacts.

In order to raise awareness of users of financial services about the risks associated with hijacking a financial number, the EMA Association has created a universal automated service for banks, financial and payment services to check the status of a SIM card replacement before performing high-risk transactions associated with the use of a client's mobile phone number. On January 5, 2021, the Mobile Check service was put into commercial operation.

4. Phishing sites​

Fraud on the Internet, which does not lose its relevance from year to year. Fake websites under the guise of banks' websites, trading platforms, financial services and delivery services lure victims of money, card details, keys and passwords for access to RBS systems.

5. Prize fraud​

Criminals conduct fake promotions and polls with "winning" valuable prizes. At the same time, fraudsters force their victims to transfer funds in order to receive a prize in advance under the guise of paying taxes, commissions, etc.

Here is one story that illustrates popular prize schemes. The girl received an SMS message that she won the Volkswagen Tiguan SUV. She went to the listed website address to verify that she had won and found her phone number on the list of winners. The organizers explained to the girl that she can get a car or pick up UAH 800,000. Since the victim does not have a driver's license, she chose the second option. Further, the scammers explained to the girl the conditions for receiving the win - she needs to transfer 17 thousand UAH of tax to the indicated account and 8 thousand UAH for the quick registration of the win. The announced conditions did not arouse suspicion among the victim and she hastened to make a transfer in the amount of UAH 25 thousand to the specified account. No one got in touch with the girl again, but she continued to believe in luck even after she went to the police.