Fraudsters have started to target a victim via relatives, leveraging family connections to coerce a transfer of funds into a so‑called safe account. This tactic was highlighted by a newspaper report under the headline News.
The current variant begins with a counterfeit bank employee who phones the victim, claiming to relocate the money to a secure account because danger is imminent. If the victim resists, the scammer escalates the pressure by contacting close relatives such as parents or a spouse. The phone numbers of family members are often available through social media posts, leaked databases, and other public sources.
The caller then persuades the relative that the threat is real and urges them to push the victim to act. This dual‑front manipulation creates a heightened risk because it pressures both sides of the equation at once, increasing the likelihood of a successful financial theft.
Experts warn that this form of fraud is especially dangerous because it exploits social bonds and personal relationships. It allows criminals to identify a vulnerable link—such as an elderly person or someone who is socially isolated—by mining public data. In time, the scheme could evolve into a broader assault on the entire family, spreading across multiple channels including instant messaging apps and email, according to the DLBI data leak intelligence and darknet monitoring service founder Ashot Hovhannisyan. The analyst notes that attackers may refine the plan to target multiple family members, making detection harder and the pressure harder to resist.
In discussions about this risk, analysts recalled recent cases where scammers accessed photos of documents via messaging apps like WhatsApp, highlighting how even seemingly private images can be exploited to create a convincing mode of deception. Prevention hinges on maintaining cautious communication practices, validating any urgent financial requests through independent contact methods, and educating family members about the telltale signs of social engineering. Businesses and individuals are advised to implement clear rituals for verifying instructions that involve money transfers, such as calling back at official numbers and consulting trusted advisors before acting.
People are reminded that legitimate banks will never pressure a customer to move funds to an unfamiliar account or to disclose security details over a phone call or chat. When in doubt, pausing the request, double‑checking through official channels, and seeking a second opinion from a trusted family member or financial professional can prevent serious financial losses. Public awareness initiatives emphasize the importance of safeguarding personal data, restricting the share of contact details on social platforms, and reporting suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities so that patterns can be detected early and addressed quickly.