Pirates are taking advantage of the back-to-school period to set traps online. They are mainly aimed at students looking for a new computer or a scholarship.
It’s already back to school! This Monday, September 4, 2023, millions of French people will find their way back to school. A few days later, the French universities will reopen their doors. As usual, cybercriminals want to take the opportunity to set up a series of scams. Experts from Kaspersky, a Russian cybersecurity company, have also found a “alarming increase in fraudulent activities” relating to the start of the school year.
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Free laptops
After investigation, researchers found that cybercriminals deployed fake contests. These bogus ads hold out the prospect of a totally free laptop to lure their victims. The scammers want to take advantage of the back-to-school shopping frenzy. Many students need a new PC to do their work or take notes in class.
To receive the won machine, students must provide a series of personal data. This is where hackers get what they want. Using this information, they will be able to orchestrate other phishing or phishing attacks. This is when they will try to steal money from their victims. Other dummy contests are more direct. These will ask participants to pay the delivery costs for sending the prize. This request should put you on the alert. For Kaspersky, it is indeed the “telltale sign of a fraudulent device”.
To spread their lying contests, hackers ask victims to share a link with a dozen contacts on WhatsApp. De facto, other individuals also risk falling into the trap. This is a classic trick used by criminals to ensure a pool of potential victims.
Hackers promise scholarships
In parallel, fake scholarships appeared on the web. To lull the mistrust of their targets, hackers do not hesitate to promise large sums. Once students’ attention has been grabbed, they will demand personal information. Scammers ask for sensitive data, which should not be disclosed. For example, they require a social security number and bank details.
Once the data has been sucked in, attackers can use it to impersonate victims. They are able to take out a loan without your knowledge, for example. Data can also be resold on dark web black markets in exchange for cryptocurrency. Kaspersky obviously advises not to answer “to scholarship offers unknown to the battalion”.
Note that cybercriminals have a habit of exploiting events and major trends to trick Internet users. When the Covid-19 crisis hit in 2020, a horde of hackers used fear of the virus to orchestrate phishing campaigns or spread malware. More recently, hackers have taken advantage of the release of two summer blockbusters, Barbie and Oppenheimer. In particular, they launched fake promotional offers and put fake streaming sites online to watch the two films.
To avoid falling into back-to-school traps, Kaspersky recommends researching a scholarship before filling out an application. Above all, the Russian society advises not to come into contact with unknown bodies. Also make sure you are on the official sites provided for this purpose before communicating your personal data or paying money. If in doubt, do a Google search and contact the organization directly.