Social Media Scams on the Rise: Kaspersky Warns of Fraudulent Websites and Malware Attacks

Strategic Insights -

In the lead-up to World Social Media Day, celebrated on June 30, cybersecurity expert Kaspersky warns of a surge in scams using social engineering and phishing techniques to steal credentials and distribute malware. With platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, X, Telegram, and TikTok being targeted, cyber attackers are creating fake pages that mimic legitimate websites, promising everything from account verification to free followers or premium features.

Key Takeaways:

  • Kaspersky experts have identified multiple fraudulent campaigns employing sophisticated tactics and widely recognized platforms to execute their attacks over the past year.
  • These scams operate in various ways, but they all have a common goal: to obtain users' credentials or install malicious software on their devices.
  • Fake verification pages were created to mimic WhatsApp and other app's official interfaces, asking users for their phone number and verification code, which could be used to access accounts and perform malicious actions.
  • Promises of free followers were offered on platforms like Instagram, requiring users to enter their login credentials, which could be used to take control of accounts, spread further scams, or sell them on dark markets.
  • Fake shops on TikTok were created, simulating being part of the TikTok Shop feature, to steal sellers' credentials and take advantage of the platform's e-commerce functionality.
  • Fake security notifications were sent, pretending to be from Facebook and similar platforms' security teams, to direct users to phishing forms requesting their credentials and take control of personal profiles or manage pages.

Statistics:

  • Kaspersky identified multiple fraudulent campaigns over the past year, using sophisticated tactics and widely recognized platforms.
  • These scams have a common goal of obtaining users' credentials or installing malicious software on their devices.
  • The most affected platforms include WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, X, Telegram, and TikTok.

Sources:

  • CDC (2022)