Fraudsters hack accounts in social networks and messengers (Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, Viber, Signal). To do this, phishing links are distributed, for example, under the guise of offers to participate in voting, contests, job offers on the Internet, etc. After following the links, citizens enter logins and passwords from their accounts in social networks/messengers, which automatically become known to fraudsters. Also, in order to trick out passwords to an Instagram account, fraudsters send a fake message from this social network purporting to receive a blue badge (account verification).

Then, on behalf of the account owner, the fraudsters send identical messages to subscribers with the following content: “Hello! Loan, please, money by tomorrow! I really need it!”.

Fraudsters indicate different amounts, indicate their card numbers, thus misappropriating the funds of people who agree to borrow them.

How to prevent account hacking in social networks and messengers:

• create complex and unique passwords for each account;
• set up two-factor authentication wherever possible. Multi-factor authentication is when, in addition to a login and password, you need to enter a confirmation code sent to a smartphone, e-mail or in the corresponding application to log in to the account;
• do not follow dubious links;
• keep your logins and passwords secret;
• do not enter your logins and passwords from accounts on unfamiliar and suspicious websites. Before entering the login and password, check the address of the required resource, because any differences may indicate that you are on a phishing site.

What to do if you received a message from a friend asking to borrow money:

• ask a friend what only he and you can know. Such a question will immediately expose the fraudster;
• to call a friend from a number that you know for sure, and not the one listed in the page’s account in social networks/messenger. Because, if the fraudster hacked the page, he could change the phone number in the victim’s profile.