ESET, a leading threat detection company, has alerted WhatsApp users that a fake giveaway of returned products from the Mercado Libre platform is circulating. The scam is sent through the messaging application, often by a known contact, with a hidden link that leads to a fake page on the platform for buying and selling products.
The characteristics of this scam are very similar to those already detected in other cases such as the one that occurred recently with the Costco supermarket chain . In addition to leading to a fake site, the scam has other elements Bulgaria WhatsApp Number List such as a questionnaire where you can give your opinion on this campaign with false comments from alleged winners. Once the questionnaire is completed, the site presents the user with a draw that does not correspond to the one for returned products, in which a prize must be found 3 times. Regardless of the selection made, the user will always find expensive prizes such as the latest generation phones.
You may be interested in : How will WhatsApp “communities” work?
In order to be eligible for the “prize won”, the user must take a key step in this mass deception: share it with several of their WhatsApp contacts. This allows the false campaign to reach a massive audience with little intervention on the part of the cybercriminal.
In addition, it gives the campaign a false appearance of veracity because the new user receives it from an acquaintance. Once this phase is completed, the victim is redirected to another site that executes scareware attacks that make WhatsApp Number Database them believe that their device is vulnerable and needs to be updated. The urgency to install an unknown application takes precedence.
At this point, it should be enough for the victim to suspect that the fake raffle is no longer mentioned. This is how these types of deceptive strategies work, seeking to confuse users. The main recommendation with this type of content is to always be wary of communications that offer gifts, benefits or money.