The expert warned of an increase in fraud amid the conflict in the Middle East

Against the background of the worsening situation in the Middle East, fraudsters have become more active, who use the anxiety of tourists to steal data and funds. On March 2, Alexander Vurasko, Director for Development of the Solar AURA External Digital Threat Monitoring Center at Solar Group, told Izvestia about the most common protection schemes and measures.

According to him, attackers are currently exploiting people's uncertainty and anxiety by allegedly offering help or compensation. Phishing emails and refund messages for cancelled flights have become one of the most common schemes. Scammers send out notifications on behalf of airlines or travel agencies and offer to click on the link to receive compensation. On fake websites, users are asked for personal and bank information, after which they gain access to their accounts.

There are also cases of fake travel agencies offering "emergency" tickets for passengers on cancelled flights. The attackers demand an advance payment for a quick solution to the problem, but after receiving the money, they stop communicating and do not provide any services. A separate area is fake evacuation services.

"Scammers may offer services for "evacuation" from the conflict zone or emergency transportation to other countries. They create fake websites or social media groups where they ask for a deposit or full payment for services. After receiving the funds, they will stop contacting, leaving the victim without help," said Vurasko.

The East is a big deal: Iran's response has upset the plans of the United States and Israel

The Islamic Republic proved to be more stable than the Pentagon and the IDF had hoped.

The company's experts recommended that tourists use only the official resources of airlines and tour operators, checking the website address beforehand, not transmitting personal data on dubious platforms and in correspondence with strangers, as well as using antivirus software to protect against phishing attacks and malware.

"At such times, it is important to remain vigilant and take care of your safety, including digital security," the company's experts added.

On the same day, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism reported that about 700 tourists had left Iran since the beginning of the military operation against Iran. By March 1, 37 thousand tourists from different countries were in the country.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on the same day that Moscow was disappointed by the failure of negotiations between the United States and Iran on Tehran's nuclear program. He noted that Russia is in constant contact with the Iranian leadership and discusses the situation around the conflict.

Tasnim news agency, in turn, reported that the death toll as a result of the US-Israeli strikes on the province of Fars in southern Iran has reached 35 people. According to the publication, at least 13 people were killed in Shiraz in the south of the country. Victims were also recorded in Lamerda and other cities of the province.

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