There are more and more cyber scams in our everyday lives. The personal and banking information of victims can be obtained by cybercriminals by merely clicking on a link or downloading a malicious program. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the most typical strategies employed by scammers to spot them and stop fraud. In light of this, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States has released a public safety advisory to warn of a particularly common form of fraud: phony emails that leverage calamities, natural disasters, or humanitarian crises to request money on behalf of purported organizations.
The FBI has warned about an email that could be a scam if it has these two words
These scam attempts frequently pose as messages from well-known people or organizations to exploit people’s sympathy to steal their money. In 2024, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received over 4,500 complaints about fraudulent charity initiatives, leading to estimated losses of $96 million. The FBI has identified many warning signals that can aid in identifying these frauds. A defining feature of these fake messages is the urgency with which they demand action. Cybercriminals frequently use terms like “act fast” in their messages to give the victim a false sense of urgency, according to the FBI.
The goal of the tactic is to deny the email recipient the opportunity to carefully examine the message and look for any indications of fraud. Other manipulative techniques, including stating that an offer or assistance is only accessible for a short period, threatening dire repercussions if action is delayed, or offering prizes for prompt action, are frequently used in fake emails in addition to these statements. To make their messages seem more credible, scammers can employ even more complex strategies, such as posing as respectable businesses and organizations.
Microsoft’s suggestions are comparable to those made by the FBI.
Scammers frequently use scare tactics to get victims to click on links, download attachments, or divulge personal information before they have a chance to pause and consider their actions. Microsoft has issued recommendations on its official support page that are similar to those made by the FBI, alerting users to the dangers of emails and Teams messages that demand quick action. These fraudulent emails can contain claims that the user has won a reward, has to claim it by a certain date, or needs to take some action to prevent their account from being suspended.
Additionally, they could seem like phony security alerts that ask users to click on a link to “verify” their identity. To detect and stop phishing efforts, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has created a set of rules. Among the primary recommendations are: avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments before first confirming the sender’s legitimacy; be cautious of messages that demand quick action; check the legitimacy of charities before donating; refrain from giving out personal or financial information; and proofread the message for spelling and grammar errors, as these can be indicators of a fraudulent attempt.
The FBI has also warned about the smishing scam
Following more than 2,000 complaints this month, the FBI is cautioning citizens against replying to fraudulent road toll collection texts. The texts, which pose as state road toll collection companies, try to coerce phone users into disclosing bank account information or credit or debit card information. They are referred to as “smishing scams,” a type of phishing that uses SMS texts to deceive victims into sending money or divulging private information. According to the FBI, the texts, which use essentially the same wording and are spreading from state to state, make bogus claims that the recipients have an unpaid or overdue toll that might lead to fines or the suspension of their driving privileges.
