HEALTHPLAN MAGAZINE

Spain’s internet and cyber security authorities are warning the public of two new phishing scams in circulation.

The alerts which were posted to the INCIBE (Instituto Nacional de Ciberseguridad) and OSI (Oficina de Seguridad del Internauta) websites on Wednesday, April 13, warn of the fraudulent email campaigns that have the potential to either steal a user's personal credentials or install malicious software on their phone or computer.

DGT Unpaid Fine Scam

The first campaign that was reported by the OSI is a fraudulent email campaign that claims to be from the country’s traffic authority, the DGT.

The malicious email will usually have a subject line of “Bloqueo del Vehiculo - Multa no Pagada”.

In English, this is “Vehicle blocking – Unpaid fine”.

The email will contain links that when clicked, downloads malware that infects the person's device.

The OSI says that if you have received such an email and have clicked the link, you should install anti-virus software to check and clean your computer.

If you haven’t clicked the link, you should simply delete the file that may have been downloaded to your downloads folder and delete the email itself.

It’s important to note that the perpetrators of the scam may use a different subject line and other social engineering techniques to encourage the user to click the link.

The main characteristics of the emails are:-

• The sender is purported to be the Ministry of the Interior
• The email contains official logos giving it more credibility
• Contain a malicious link that will download malware to the user’s device
• Use an email domain that appears to be from the DGT

Image Credit: OSI

Santander Bank Verification Scam

According to INCIBE, those who bank with Banco Santander are also a target for internet scammers.

In their recent announcement, Incibe said that there had been multiple fraudulent email campaigns targeting customers of the well-known bank.

The emails which are titled “Tu cuenta necesita atencion!” claim that the user must provide their personal details for verification purposes or have their accounts closed.

Incibe stresses that such emails must always be ignored.

Image Credit: Incibe

If you have accessed the link in the email and entered your personal information, Incibe encourages you to change your banking password as soon as possible. They also advise you to contact your bank immediately.

If you have shared any of your personal credentials, they advise you to gather as much evidence as possible including screenshots and emails and report the incident to the authorities.

How to protect yourself from scam attempts

Incibe has provided a number of general guidelines to avoid being a victim of such phishing and email scams. These are:-

• Don’t open emails from unknown users.
• Always verify the origin of the email. Banks and similar companies will never provide links to their login pages or attachments in their emails.
• Never reply to these emails.
• Always be aware of any links contained in emails, SMS messages, WhatsApp and Social Networks.
• Make sure that your antivirus is up to date.
• Make sure you use strong passwords.

Sadly, these forms of scams are not going away. By being suspicious of such attempts and following the guidance above, you will be safer online.

Banks and similar institutions will never email you asking you to verify your account. If in doubt, call the bank first before proceeding to click any links or share any information.

Please share this with your friends and family to help keep them safe.

Source

https://www.osi.es/es/actualidad/avisos/2022/04/suplantan-la-dgt-con-la-excusa-de-una-multa-no-pagada
https://www.incibe.es/protege-tu-empresa/avisos-seguridad/multiples-campanas-phishing-afectan-al-banco-santander
https://euroweeklynews.com/2022/04/13/beware-spain-warns-of-scam-dgt-email/