Social engineering: how criminals manipulate you.

Scammers Photo: Cyber ​​Police

The majority of the financial losses resulting from fraud in the world are not caused by penetration of banking systems or cyber attacks, and the use of social engineering. In Ukraine, it accounts for 84% of the total amount of losses related to illegal actions with payment cards. This is reported by the Cyber ​​Police.

Social engineering is a set of methods and techniques based on psychological influence, with the help of which fraudsters influence a person and force him to act in their interests. Under such pressure, people personally, often without realizing it, disclose personal information to criminals: card details, usernames and passwords for accessing online banking, PIN codes, etc.

For the most part, in their own actions, fraudsters quite skillfully operate on such feelings as:

• fright. For example, a call from the bank about an alleged withdrawal or blocking of the card. The person is informed that if the code from the SMS is not provided quickly, the funds will be lost;
• concern. For example, they call and report that a loved one is in trouble and urgently needs money;
• pleasure. For example, it is reported that a person has won a vehicle, money, or an item is offered at a very attractive price.

Due to such manipulations, a person loses the ability to think critically and is more inclined to perform the actions that the swindler prompts. And even if a person knows the rules of financial security, he may, under the pressure of a fraudster, provide unnecessary information and not immediately understand it. Therefore, it is important not only to know the rules of financial security, but also to follow them under any circumstances.

To avoid falling into the hands of criminals, you must follow the following rules:

• be skeptical of any offers from strangers, especially attractive ones;
• do not panic and do not rush to do what you are asked, or even more so, required of you;
• be careful with unknown hyperlinks and files – do not open them unnecessarily;
• do not work with personal information in the presence of third parties, especially with card data (number, expiration date, CVV code, pin code), online banking login passwords or other passwords and codes received in SMS messages;
• install and update anti-virus software;
• use different access codes for personal and corporate email, social networks and banking applications.

As reported by the Informant, the Internet has become the main place of activity of criminals who offer to produce supposedly real driver’s documents online. They promise driver’s license and vehicle registration certificate “instantly”, “online”, “without personal presence” or “enter data into the database”, “delivery to any corner of the world”. In reality, cybercriminals are hiding behind these “attractive offers”. Their main goal is to extort funds and personal data. Anyone can stand up to criminals: the GSC of the Ministry of Internal Affairs together with the Cyber ​​Police tell how it can be done online.