In Ukraine, there has been an increase in fraudulent activity by scammers attempting to deceive their victims through messaging apps. Suspicious messages have been recorded at least in Signal and Telegram. Among the main methods of account theft and money extortion are messages allegedly coming from support services and fake videos "from friends."
The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) at the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine informs about this. In particular, analysts have noted that in recent days fake messages from the messenger’s technical support have been spreading in Signal.
These messages claim unauthorized access to the device. Scammers demand "verification" to allegedly prevent data leakage.
"In reality, this is an attempt to fraudulently gain access to your account or device. Signal does not send such messages in chat. Do not click on any links and do not respond to such requests. If you received such a message, block the user and report it," experts recommend.
In addition, in Telegram, scammers have emerged attempting to directly extort money from Ukrainians. They hack accounts and create fake videos using the victim’s face, where the person supposedly personally asks for money.
"These ’loops’ are then sent to friends or relatives of the account owner. If you receive such a video, call this person or write to them in another messenger. Verify if they actually sent this message," the message states.
Additionally, an old scheme has returned to Telegram. This involves messages where users are asked to vote, for example, in a children’s dance competition or a drawing contest.
"The message contains a link allegedly to a voting page. In reality, it is a phishing link. Clicking on it can lead to the theft of personal data: logins, passwords, banking access, etc. Do not click on such links from unfamiliar accounts. If such a message comes from a familiar person, write to them in another messenger," experts advise.