Digital risk management firm Bi.Zone says internet scammers have developed a data theft scheme in which WhatsApp users are offered to make quick money using WhatsApp chatbots allegedly created by Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of the messaging company Meta* messaging company.
Cybersecurity experts say the number of pages connecting to fake chatbots has skyrocketed in the past two months. They are disguised as media sites. In total, analysts have found 252 such sites since the beginning of May. The peak of the appearance – 150 new sources – fell on Zuckerberg’s increased media activity: then his possible fight with Elon Musk was actively discussed.
The target audience of the fraud scheme is Russians, as well as citizens of Kazakhstan, Belarus, Poland, Turkey and EU countries.
To monetize the “new project from Zuckerberg”, users are invited to use the link to go to the WhatsApp bot, take a survey there and enter their full name, email and phone number. The attackers claim that from now on, the artificial intelligence will start trading on the exchange, supposedly on behalf of the user. All that remains is to withdraw the money received.
They even emphasize that access to financial instruments is not provided in Bi.Zone and personal data is sent to fraudsters. Yevgeny Voloshin, director of the Bi.Zone security analysis and anti-fraud department, said that the stolen data was used for mailings and calls, including on behalf of bank security services or the police.
* Recognized as extremist and banned in the Russian Federation
Source: Ferra
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