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- From the heart hack: what tricks to expect from scammers on February 14
From the heart hack: what tricks to expect from scammers on February 14
Fraudsters may become more active on the eve of Valentine's Day, which is traditionally celebrated on February 14 every year, experts have warned. On this holiday, many Russians seek to please their loved ones, make them gifts or arrange romantic meetings, which creates favorable conditions for various scams. Details on what tricks to expect from scammers before Valentine's Day in 2025, read in the material "Izvestia".
What All Lovers' Day is interesting to scammers
February 14 is quite a popular holiday, which is celebrated by a large number of couples, which means that the circle of potential victims of fraudsters is very large, says in a conversation with Izvestia GR-director of the IS-company "Security Code" Alexandra Shmigirilova. People buy and give gifts, arrange surprises for their loved ones, including romantic dinners, trips to nature or hotels - there are enough reasons for deceptive schemes.
- In addition, con artists are attracted by the fact that sometimes purchases and surprises are prepared in a hurry, as many users postpone these tasks to the last moment, that is, a person a priori will be less careful and may not pay attention to obvious fraudulent markers when buying, - says the expert.
The head of the group of analysts on information security League of Digital Economy Vitaly Fomin notes that in previous years before February 14, attackers created fake sites with large sales of flowers and other gifts, which attracted low prices. However, after payment was made, the "sellers" stopped contacting each other and users did not receive their goods.
Phishing schemes related to online dating and organizing dates were also popular. Having agreed to go to the cinema, theater or exhibition, a person received from a new acquaintance a link to buy tickets, which led to a phishing or malicious site, says the expert.
What schemes of scammers before February 14 to wait for in 2025
In 2025, the arsenal of fraudsters before Valentine's Day is likely to be replenished with new technologies and tricks, predicts Marina Probets, Internet analyst and expert at Gazinformservice. In particular, we can expect more sophisticated phishing attacks using artificial intelligence to create realistic fake sites and messages imitating communication with a loved one or famous brands.
- It is possible to use dipfake technologies to create fake video and audio messages that reinforce the effect of trust," says the Izvestia interlocutor.-In addition, the emergence of new schemes related to cryptocurrencies or NFT-tokens offered as romantic investmentscannot be ruled out.
In general, fraudsters will strive for greater personalization of their attacks, using the information available to them about potential victims to increase the effectiveness of the deception scheme, Marina Probets believes. Attackers can also send fake messages purportedly from major brands offering discounts, gifts or coupons in honor of holidays, says Olga Svistunova, senior content analyst at Kaspersky Lab.
Such emails may contain phishing links, and the attackers may target people's confidential and payment data. Online fraud schemes with various "gifts", fake contests, including in messengers - with the aim of stealing credentials from accounts - are likely to appear, the expert predicts.
-Another common fraudulent scheme, which may become relevant before February 14 - the use of fake QR codes, which can redirect to a fake site, start downloading malware or write off money from the card, - add in the press service of Ozon.
How scammers use Fake Date schemes before February 14
In the run-up to Valentine's Day, there are often cases of fraud known as Fake Date (fake dates), says Alexander Vurasko, development director of the Solar AURA (Solar Group of Companies) external digital threat monitoring center. The essence of these schemes is that fraudsters posing as girls try to meet men in popular dating apps or social networks.
- Attackers use other people's photos from social networks or create them with the help of artificial intelligence. One of the main signs of fraud are requests to follow a certain link to perform some action, for example, to book or pay for tickets to various events, including plays, theaters, standup shows or cafes," says the Izvestia interlocutor.
The scam artists posing as girls claim to already have one ticket and offer the potential victim to book a free seat next to it. However, after going to a fake page and making a payment, the "companion" disappears and stops responding, and the money falls into the hands of the attackers. Often on such sites, scammers leave only an unoccupied seat near the "companion" and say that it can be quickly purchased, thus encouraging quick payment without thinking.
Schemes related to Valentine's Day are primarily aimed at emotionally vulnerable people, especially those who are looking for romantic relationships or want to please loved ones, experts from Angara Security said in a conversation with Izvestia. In particular, these are users of dating sites, participants in promotions and raffles, buyers of gifts and tickets to events.
- The main danger of tricks timed to February 14 is that people, without being sure of the reliability of a phishing resource, place orders and provide bank data such as card number, CVC-code and expiration date. This can lead to serious financial losses," says Alina Bayramova, analyst and cybersecurity threat researcher at R-Vision.
How to protect yourself from scam schemes before Valentine's Day
Experts interviewed by Izvestia advise to observe the basic rules of cyber hygiene. In particular, do not pay attention to huge discounts, which are no longer available in any store, and observe the "zero trust principle" - do not rely on those with whom you know only on the Web, recommended Irina Zinovkina, head of analytical research at Positive Technologies.
- Follow official sources (for example, when buying tickets), do not follow links received from unknown senders, and always check the address of the store in the address bar, - advises the expert.
As the senior analyst of Digital Risk Protection of F.A.C.C.T. company Maria Sinitsyna notes. Maria Sinitsina, one of the ways to make sure that any suspicious site is trustworthy is to use Whois services. Pay attention to the date of domain registration: scammers often register them a couple days before the attack.
Before buying goods, check sellers and stores, pay attention to the reviews of other users and contact information, complements Alina Bayramova. To protect personal information, you can also use a separate card for payment - this will minimize the risk of loss of information in case of leakage.
- Do not download files or install applications from suspicious sites or even more so from private messages with strangers. If you have doubts, be sure to consult with your family or friends, - says Maria Sinitsyna.
Against the background of possible activation of scammers before Valentine's Day, it is also not worth sending personal photos or data to people you don't know. Be sure to enable two-factor authentication to protect your accounts and bank cards, and if you suspect fraud, immediately contact your bank or law enforcement agencies, Angara Security experts conclude.
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