Phishing Trend, Experts: Cybercriminals Are Always On Track

Phishing. (Caspersky illustration)

JAKARTA - Phishing is one of the most common cyber crimes. Where cybercriminals usually attempt to obtain user credentials through fraud.

This type of fraud is usually carried out to steal passwords, credit card numbers, bank account details, or other confidential information from victims.

"Cybercriminals will always follow trends. They know which are the latest topics they can effectively ride on," said Adrian Hia, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Kaspersky in a statement received in Jakarta.

According to Hia, the criminals usually use social engineering techniques that play on the human mind. So that is why many victims find it difficult to resist clicking on unknown links.

Phishing Trends 2022

Kaspersky managed to spot some of the most widely used phishing in 2022, where perpetrators took advantage of scenarios such as compensation funds, bonuses, and even refunds.

Bonuses and compensation funds: “financial aid” is often used by fraudsters to trick users and steal their money.

Promotional campaigns from major banks: Visitors to fake web pages are offered to accept a one-time payment or take a quality of service survey for a fee.

Government website scams: Growing utility rates and rising prices for natural resources, prompted some governments to start discussing compensating residents.

Here, cybercriminals take advantage of the situation by creating fake web pages that mimic government websites, promising cash to cover utility payments or compensation costs.

Visitors are sometimes asked to provide personal details under the pretext of checking their eligibility, or to fill out a questionnaire.