Cyber crooks have developed a new version of the Fake Date scheme to steal money from Russians using dating apps. socialbites.ca was informed by the Russian FACCT, which develops technologies to combat cybercrime.
According to the company, in the fall of 2023, 6 fraudulent groups were operating in Russia under the Fake History program, and the illegal earnings of only one of them exceeded 6.5 million rubles in 10 days. Fraudsters carried out 721 operations to steal money.
“The average amount stolen from a victim in the fall of 2023 was approximately 9 thousand rubles, despite the fact that a victim could write off more than one loss in a row. FACCT noted that at the beginning of 2023, the 7 most active groups in Russia earned 5 million rubles from those who wanted to go on dates (in the period 12-14 February, 21-23 February and 6-8 March). press service
The classic Fake History chart looks like this. Posing as an attractive girl, the scammer meets a potential victim on social networks or on a dating site and offers to spend a romantic evening at the theater, stand-up show, anti-cinema, hookah bar or a hookah bar. Order dinner delivery. The victim receives a link to a phishing site, pays a “ticket” and the money and card information are stolen by the attackers. It happens that when buying a ticket for a “friend” or making a “refund” money is deleted two or three times.
Now scammers are stealing money long before you go on a first date.
“After interest and trust are formed between young people, the “girl” may suddenly disappear from correspondence or her photos and videos may take a very long time to load. It turned out that the beauty had problems paying for the Internet in her home, and the new gentleman would have to pay a small amount. “The girl sends a link to a fake service website, from which you need to download the mobile application,” said the FACCT press service.
Spyware hidden in the application has the ability to capture entered bank card data and incoming SMS codes to steal money from the accounts of Russian bank customers.
The press service explained that the plan to order a taxi, which the young lady could also ask for from her new acquaintance, works in a similar way.
All “technical support” for Fake History is still provided through Telegram: Here, community members who lure victims into downloading a malicious application receive a link to download the mobile application – an APK file, manage their shadow online accounting, purchase chatbots or “voices” – pre-recorded audio and video messages on behalf of girls.
FACCT advised Russians not to transfer communications from advertising services chats to instant messengers and not to follow links from strangers in instant messengers or mails. You should only download official apps from the mobile app store or a legitimate service website.
Previously happened It is known how much money cyber fraudsters stole from Russians’ bank accounts in 2023.