Warnings sounded about deceitful practices involving counterfeit Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Here's the rewritten article:
Scammers are up to their old tricks, but this time they're using a slick new scheme involving home deliveries. These crooks pose as employees from popular marketplaces' PVs, offering to deliver goods straight to your doorstep. But this seemingly convenient offer comes at a cost: they'll ask you for your personal info such as your Social Insurance Number (SNILS), Individual Taxpayer Number (INN), and codes from incoming SMS messages, according to Gazeta.ru.
This scam plays out in two parts: after you hand over the initial data, another co-conspirator will call, pretending to be a law enforcement officer. They'll claim that your "Gosuslugi" portal account has been hacked, and your funds are at risk. To protect your hard-earned cash, they'll ask you to urgently transfer money to a "special secure account" or even hand over cash to the "arriving police officers."
Daria Vesterinova, the general director of cybersecurity company STCrypt, issues a stern warning: never share SMS codes with anyone. Reason being, these codes are the keys to your personal data and finances. Plus, legitimate delivery service employees never ask for SNILS, INN, confirmation codes, or bank details.
Remember the poor soul from Chita who lost a staggering 1.7 million rubles to these scammers in just a week? A chilling 16% of Chita residents have fallen prey to these sneaky phone scams.
So, how can you protect yourself from these deliver scams? Here are some handy tips:
- Beware of Unsolicited Messages: Reputable delivery services like USPS, FedEx, and UPS don't send unsolicited text messages or emails asking for personal information or financial details. If a message claiming to be from these services asks for sensitive data, tread carefully.
- Verify Independently: Instead of clicking on message links, go to the official website of the delivery service or the retailer you ordered from to confirm the status of your package.
- Watch for Red Flags: Scam messages often contain urgent language, misspellings, and grammatical errors. Be suspicious if a message asks you to confirm personal details or provide financial information via links or attachments.
- Download Official Apps: Download the official apps of delivery services like USPS, FedEx, and UPS. These apps let you securely track your packages and verify delivery updates.
- Report Scams: If you suspect a scam, report it to the appropriate authorities. For USPS-related scams, forward suspicious emails to [email protected] and report to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
- Secure Your Information: Never share sensitive information via text or email links. Use strong passwords and monitor your accounts regularly to keep your personal data safe.
- Use Filters: Enable filters on your email and messaging apps to block potential spam messages. If your phone allows, report junk or spam messages.
By following these steps, you can significantly lower your chances of falling victim to delivery scams asking for personal information. Stay safe out there!
In this general-news article, it's revealed that scammers are utilizing technology by impersonating delivery employees from popular marketplaces to ask for personal information such as Social Insurance Number (SNILS), Individual Taxpayer Number (INN), and codes from incoming SMS messages. Furthermore, cyberscurity expert Daria Vesterinova emphasizes the importance of not sharing SMS codes with anyone due to potential cybersecurity risks and possible crimes-and-justice implications.
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