In the wake of developments about Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, being reportedly arrested at a French airport, Kaspersky discovered fraudsters exploiting this news by launching a fake campaign to lure victims.
These fraudsters would distribute scam emails claiming to be a fundraiser for Durov’s legal defense and impersonating itself as a human rights organization. They urge recipients to contribute to the cause by donating via cryptocurrency, including BTC, ETH, and TRX. As a result, victims end up losing their money to these fraudsters. Factually, Parel Durov’s team has not announced any official fundraising efforts.
Fraudsters would spread their emails that can bypass spam filters by varying their wording, avoiding repetition, and using synonyms like “help,” “donate“, or “raise.” Another method they use is to make all names of the supposed funding organizations different. For instance, some claim to represent the Human Rights Defenders Network (HRDN), while others impersonate the Digital Rights Advocacy Network (DRAN).
Andrey Kovtun, email security expert at Kaspersky, advised that thinking critically and taking on the double-checking habit are important in protecting oneself from these scams.
For general tips, which also works well in similar situations, Kaspersky experts also recommend:
- Verify the Source: Before donating or sharing personal information, ensure the request is from an official and trusted source. Check the organization’s official website or contact them directly to confirm.
- Watch for Red Flags: Be wary of emails or messages that use poor grammar, unusual formatting, or urgent language. Scammers often use these tactics to create a sense of urgency and bypass your critical thinking.
- Double-check URLs and Email Addresses: Scammers often create fake websites or email addresses that look similar to legitimate ones. Carefully inspect URLs and email domains for any subtle differences.
- Be Cautious with Cryptocurrency Donations: Cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible, making them a popular choice for scammers. Avoid donating through crypto unless you are certain of the recipient’s legitimacy.
- Use Security Software: Make sure you have up-to-date security software installed on your devices. Kaspersky Premium can help detect and block spam campaigns as well as phishing attempts and malicious links.
- Rely on Official Announcements: Trust only official communications from the person or organization in question. If you haven’t seen a public announcement about a fundraiser or campaign, it’s likely a scam.
- Check the Sender’s Email Address: Always check the sender’s email address. In legitimate communications from large organizations, emails will typically come from a verified, official domain rather than a free email service. In this case, the scam emails were sent from various free mail addresses—a clear sign that they were not from a reputable organization.
To learn more about online security and other means to protect oneself from scams using Kaspersky’s solution, visit its website at https://www.kaspersky.com.
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