Expert warns of fraud schemes via smartphone geolocation

When a person activates geolocation using GPS, the phone determines its location with the highest accuracy. Solar appScreener product author Daniil Chernov told Izvestia on December 13 about how geolocation works on a smartphone.

According to the expert, even in the absence of a GPS system, the phone is able to approximately determine its location based on signals from mobile operators or the nearest Wi-Fi networks.

"Access to geolocation data can be gained by any application to which the user has granted such rights. Attackers can use this functionality by convincing the user to install a malicious application on the smartphone that will send location data to its owner," Chernov notes.

According to him, fraudsters can develop this fraud scheme using vulnerabilities in the iPhone or Android operating systems. For example, a trojan can be installed on the device, which transmits geolocation information to the attacker.

In addition, many legitimate services, including navigation apps, carsharing platforms, and urban electric scooters, also require permission to access their users' geolocation. This is necessary for their functionality, for example, to implement targeted advertising or to study the movement of users. As a result, location-related digital footprints may become available to third parties along with other personal data, emphasizes the specialist.

"In general, geolocation data of smartphones carry both convenience for users and significant risks of leakage of confidential information, which requires special attention to the access rights of applications to this information," Chernov summarized.

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Earlier, on December 10, Sean Betrozov, a practicing lawyer of the Moscow Chamber of Lawyers, a member of the Russian Bar Association, told Izvestia about ways to avoid scammers on marketplaces. According to him, it is necessary to use only official communication channels, contacting support via an app or the company's website. Enable two-factor authentication - this will make it much more difficult for fraudsters, even if they recognize your password.